


The Long Game

by Team_Alpha_Wolf_Squadron



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-09 19:37:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 38,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Team_Alpha_Wolf_Squadron/pseuds/Team_Alpha_Wolf_Squadron
Summary: 'There was a brief argument, barely heard as Loki tried to stop clenching enough to actually move himself. Hands eventually got him upright, Loki emptying his throat enough to actually breathe again. It took a while before the heaviness left his gut, even then Loki knew it would come back if he so much as moved an inch too far. The hands never left his sides, and Loki knew without looking that it was Thor, he could feel it in the charged energy that vibrated the air around him."Don't take me back," Loki begged when he could. "Please don't take me back."He wasn't a beggar. Loki preferred manipulation to begging any day. But, desperate, still feeling like he was about to be impaled on knives if he woke up properly and terrified because he knew Thor would be taking him any hour now he wasn't above it.'There was an old prompt on Livejournal that was fulfilled where Loki was pregnant during the Avengers. It really piqued my interest so if you're looking for a story similar to that here it is.





	1. Chapter 1

If Loki could describe his experience trying to take over Midgard in one word, it would probably be painful. 

Not only because he was bashed around like a toy. Quite frankly that was actually the least painful part of his day, especially because oblivion was so close to taking him over when the Hulk tired of him. No, what had him almost keeling over was the pain that lingered over from his imprisonment. 

A lot of things could be said about Thanos but he was a damn good torturer. It had barely taken a day before Loki was screeching at the door of his cell, begging for an audience. He didn't do well with pain, Loki was more of a wheedler than an aggressor. There was a reason he usually stuck close to Thor on missions, his brother's reckless streak actually coming in handy when Loki found himself in trouble. 

But Thor hadn't been there. Loki had left him and Asgard behind when he fell. A big mistake looking back.

"What are we going to do with him?" The woman said, Natasha Loki remembered. The archer had a fondness for her. 

"Bring him to justice." Loki remembered blue. A lot of blue with a strange star on his chest. His name wasn't as forthcoming as Natasha's, the archer must not have known him as well.

"Which is?" Natasha pressed. "He's a God Steve. It's gonna be trouble keeping him in that cell never mind an actual prison. I know he didn't exactly muscle out like Thor but, if he's from the same realm we have to consider the possibility he's just as powerful."

"Well, we can't let Thor take him back," Steve argued. "It's our Earth he destroyed so it should be our Earth that sees to his punishment."

"And ordinarily I would agree. But if we can't contain him then what's the point. At least on Asgard they can make sure he stays put."

Loki tried to tell them that sending him back would be a horrible idea. Quite frankly as much as he had wished he was back home while with Thanos now the opportunity has presented itself Loki didn't really want to see Odin. Yet, he really had taken quite a bit of battering and as he sat the heaviness that had kept him peacefully down moved to his gut. He was choking on his own vomit before he could even sit up.

There was a brief argument, barely heard as Loki tried to stop clenching enough to actually move himself. Hands eventually got him upright, Loki emptying his throat enough to actually breathe again. It took a while before the heaviness left his gut, even then Loki knew it would come back if he so much as moved an inch too far. The hands never left his sides, and Loki knew without looking that it was Thor, he could feel it in the charged energy that vibrated the air around him. 

"Don't take me back," Loki begged when he could. "Please don't take me back." 

He wasn't a beggar. Loki preferred manipulation to begging any day. But, desperate, still feeling like he was about to be impaled on knives if he woke up properly and terrified because he knew Thor would be taking him any hour now he wasn't above it. 

Thor stilled for a moment before one arm wrapped around his chest, the other still keeping Loki in place as Thor managed some kind of backwards hug. Loki didn't fight it, the body behind him the only reason he wasn't falling back right now. "You know I must Loki. Father's expecting it."

"Don't take me back."

"You have committed a crime," Thor's voice wavered, his reluctance clear even as he said, "You must face punishment for it. You have left me no other choice."

"No," he knew he was whining, sounding all like the bratty child he'd claimed Thor was. 

Thor stayed silent, his arms tightening around Loki. The comfort wasn't well received as the pressure to his stomach had him retching again. 

Upright again, Thor slapped one hand rather harshly on Loki's forehead, pure wonder in his voice as he asked, "What is wrong with you?"

"I have been tossed around by that monster. What do you think is wrong with me?" Loki croaked. 

Thor hummed, his hand leaving to hold Loki's shoulder again. "You have received harsher blows from a troll, you should not be in this condition."

"It's Midgard then," he managed to turn his head enough to spy their audience, giving each of them a glare as he hissed, "Who knows what diseases these mortals have."

Again Thor hummed, turning to his midgardian friends as well to ask for a healer. Loki held his tongue on his thoughts on Midgards health services in favour of keeping his airways clear as Thor set him down. Time passed, he was sure of it, even as the limbo he was stuck in held nothing but pain. People talked around him, their voices blurring into incomprehensible noise until he was brought back to the room with Thor lifting him up. 

He was fighting before he knew what was going on. Weak as he was, Loki wasn't going to let them take him apart again willingly. He remembered too late that it was Thor, his brother's presence still not registering really in his mind. It stuck as a small shock went through him, Thor keeping his arms captive as he dragged Loki to another flat surface. The fight went out of him as darkness took him once more.

When he woke he was marginally better than what he had been. His magic was doing its work enough that he wasn't sick as he sat up. That wasn't to say he was completely healed. If Thor made a move to take him back there was no way he could fight his brother off. 

The cell they had him in was smaller than the one they had the hulk in. There was barely enough room for the bed he was laying on, and after a few short minutes judging just how little space he had he changed his form to settle more comfortably on the hard mattress. It wasn't long after that when someone came to check on him as he knew they would. 

This whole place must have observational gear Loki concluded as the blue clad Steve slipped through the heavy door. "You're gonna want to change back. Thor said if you do any magic we have the right to get the Hulk on you again."

Loki called the blue man's bluff, staying put in his lovely fox guise. Blue Steve curled his lip but said nothing more, just as Loki thought. 

Obviously something had happened between the last time he was awake and now. Something that meant Thor wouldn't sic the Hulk on him again. Not until he was at full strength anyway. Loki could live with that. 

Blue Steve didn't leave, instead, he took up a stance opposite Loki. He must have been military trained, to be standing there for so long without moving. The focus didn't stray either, not like the guards back on Asgard. It was usually because of their bored eyes that Loki got away with half of his pranks. 

It was a while before some message Blue Steve must have sent before coming in found its owner. Thor was his usual blundering self as he elbowed his way into the tiny room. Unlike Blue Steve however, Thor had no qualms about keeping what little distance he could from Loki. Instead, he picked Loki up like he was some common house cat and set him on his knee. Loki stopped himself from turning back immediately, maybe biting his brother for taking liberties, and instead settled to listen to what Thor had to say.

"Brother," he started, his big hand still not understanding the meaning of gentle as he patted Loki's head. "What did they do to you." It wasn't a question. Thor had probably guessed since his healer was brought in that Loki hadn't been in peak condition when he started his assault on Midgard. "If you had just told me I would have had more care with you."

"No offence Thor," Blue Steve butted in, "But Loki didn't exactly give you an opening to 'have care'."

"No," Thor agreed. "But Loki doesn't. Especially when he's hurt. My mother used to say it was why he was so adapt at change shaping. He's much like the creatures he turns into. When they're hurt, they lash out or they hide. In this case, Loki did both. It is my fault for not recognising it."

"He destroyed half of New York."

"Yes, yet it begs the question why. Loki is destructive, it's true. But my brother prides himself on his sneakiness. If he truly wanted Midgard he would have found a way to gain it without all of this bloodshed. Who did this to you?"

Being a fox it was difficult to stifle the urge to bury his face. He didn't even want to think about that Titan so he didn't. He thought about something else. About how Blue Steve's suit really was ridiculous and that Thor seriously needed a lesson in how to stroke an animal. He bit back a bark as Thor pulled his fur at bit too tight. Blue Steve was stifling a grin, Loki sure the man could see how much discomfort Thor was giving him.

"Father will be understanding Loki. He just wants you home." That had Loki biting. Since he was still strong even as a fox his teeth breached Thor's skin, his brother, or whatever he was now, doing his best to dislodge Loki as he went for another part of Thor's exposed forearm.

"Need some help?" Blue Steve asked, obviously figuring Loki wasn't too big a threat to intervene yet. 

"No," Thor hissed, getting his finger snapped as he flailed around. "I can handle this."

"Maybe don't bring up Asgard when you calm him down, he seems to have a problem with it."

Thor grunted, Loki going for the throat before a short electric shock had him grumbling back into a ball. 

Despite being bloody Thor had no qualms in picking Loki up again and settling him back into his lap. Even Blue Steve seemed to think that was a bad idea by the way he was looking at Thor. The petting resumed, everything silent for a while, Thor probably hoping time would make Loki turn back.

When it didn't, his brother sighed, picking Loki up close to his chest for some semblance of a hug. "Fine, I will not mention home. But in the coming days we will speak about what happened brother. The Midgardians are eager to find out why you attacked them and I... I need to know whose head I'm caving in."

"Thor..." Blue Steve warned, from the sounds of it this not being the first time Thor had made such promises.

"It is one thing to beat him Steve Rogers, and another to rape him. When I find out who got Loki with child they will not see another sunrise."

Loki barely felt the petting after that, Thor's arms seemed to disappear completely as he processed what he had just heard. He'd suspected he might be, prayed more often than not that he wasn't. But Loki had been sure after all the abuse he'd suffered that whatever was growing inside him had died. There had been enough blood to suggest as much. It looked like his body was more sturdier than he thought.

He must have been out of it longer than he thought since his guard had changed when he looked again. The man of iron was tinkering with some device on his arm, not even paying attention to Loki and from the way he was sitting he was relaxed enough to have been there a while. Thor was still there, asleep now with Loki on his chest. How he had managed to ignore that happening Loki couldn't figure out. His brother was quite a deep sleeper, and while it did have its advantages it also had its disadvantages. One being that the lightning he kept at bay awake was now free to roam along his fingers and shock the living daylights out of Loki whenever it got the chance. 

It made sleeping on Thor impossible. Yet moving brought the attention of the man of iron, which meant Loki had to settle ever so slowly sideways in feigned sleep to remove himself from his brother's presence. Very undignified for one that was meant to be some kind of villain. He could feel the smirk the man of iron was sending his way, along with a mumble of never letting Loki live something down before the tinkering started up again. 

He was in his cell for three days before Asgard was brought up again. They had switched out the guard every five hours, Loki meeting all of Thor's new friends at one point. It didn't help that Thor didn't leave him alone either. Save speaking with some higher personnel on the other side of the door Thor didn't so much as stand. Loki thought it was some kind of gesture Thor was making, proof perhaps in Thor's own way that he was there to listen. Either that or someone had decided to keep the high security risks together in case Thor started teaming up with Loki. It wasn't that far fetched, Thor had basically promised he'd forgiven Loki more than once since their incarceration. 

Right now, they had the hulk babysitting them, the man that wasn't the beast quite a chatterbox as he started going over some sort of number pattern that made sense to only him. Loki could tell Thor hadn't a clue what he was talking about even as he nodded and suggested Banner go find the man of iron to confer with. 

"Trust me, I will. I think Tony's already made a few investigations, he's been on it from day one. And I don't blame him, the longer we stay here the more I think I'm not getting out of this place."

Thor hummed his agreement, "I know how you feel. I myself am eager for your people to finish their report. Loki and I have much to talk about, things I think he will feel better saying without walls listening in on us."

Banner twisted his face for a moment at the mention of Loki, like the rest of them did, but it passed quickly, leaving the man staring more intently than ever at Loki. "How is he? Tony says he hasn't changed back yet. Nat's been going on about animal control just in case your brother switched himself out with a real fox."

Thor patted Loki's belly, more gently than he did anywhere else at least as he said, "It is Loki, do not worry about that. As for how he is, I do not know. His actions... I am beginning to understand them more and more the longer I consider what I would do in his situation."

"Yeah, about the whole," Banner indicated to his stomach, "How does that work? I mean, he's a guy, right?"

"He is," Thor said carefully. "However, his changing abilities allow him to become female if he so chooses."

Banner looked more interested than repulsed as half the Asgardians that Thor explained this to did. They saw it as unnatural, like most of what Loki did, and often had rather uncomplimentary things to say to Loki's face when they found out he was a shape changer. It was a sneaky magic, one that, in their opinion, shouldn't exist. 

Thor wasn't one of those people as he gave a short chuckle. "I remember this one time that he changed himself into this beautiful woman. I bought her drinks all night, and then when we went to retire he changed back, pulled my breeches down and laughed all the way back to the palace."

"There are so many things wrong with that story," Banner noted, yet Thor didn't think so since he still had that dopey smile he always got when he told that tale. Banner seemed to wave off his questions for that tale as he got back to his other line. "So, when Loki is female, he's fully female. Like, is he fully a fox right now? If I called his name would he know I was talking to him?"

"Of course." Thor patted Loki again, "If he does not answer you it is because he's being petty. Shape changing allows some leeway with their forms. Loki is definitely female when he changes just as he is fully a fox right now. However, he is also himself so he retains his thoughts and memories like he would in his usual body."

"So when he's himself he doesn't have a..." There was a lot of gesturing before Banner clarified, "For the birth."

"I am sure he will change. If not the healers back home will assist him."

Banner didn't look convinced. Yet he left it in exchange for saying, "You think your dad's gonna be okay with it?"

Loki growled before Thor could get a word out, a warning really that he had better not told Odin anything about this. The taking over Midgard, fair enough, but Loki didn't want this thing in his stomach mentioned until he could figure out a plan. 

Thor pulled him across the bed until he could look him in the eye. "Loki, you know father will want to know about this. He cares about you."

Loki growled again, snapping his teeth for good measure. 

"He does. We all do. Why do you doubt us?" Thor dodged the bites to his skin to do that earnest peering thing he did, "Whatever they said to you, whatever you think, you are my family Loki and nothing is going to change that."

He growled a bit more until Thor retreated back to his side of the bed. 

Asgard was put to the side again for another few days.

His guards rotated and rotated again until a week had passed and Loki was almost choking under the stench of Thor. It was alright when they were on a quest and Thor hadn't washed in a week, chances were Loki and the others hadn't either. But when they were on a quest they were outdoors, not locked in a tiny room with no ventilation with Loki's nose was particularly sensitive.

He'd taken to pointedly washing himself as far away from Thor as possible. A hint if his brother had ever seen one. Yet still Thor didn't move.

Loki was working on his tail when his guard changed again, this time it wasn't any of the usual suspects, instead, the Furious man walked in.

"Good God," he gasped, "Did no one show you where the showers were?"

Thor nodded, "Of course."

The Furious man rolled his eyes, being a bit dramatic as he retreated for a breath before coming back. "Right," he pulled out a few papers, "Down to business. We got word from above that since Loki is too volatile they'll let you bring him back to Asgard."

"Excellent."

"But they want the tesseract back in government hands."

"Not happening," Thor said just as easily. He hopped up, grabbing Loki around the middle and sidestepping around Fury to venture into the hallways of the aircraft.

"Thor!" The Furious man called, Loki watching from over Thor's shoulder as the man struggled to keep up with his brother's wide strides. "Where are you going?"

"Home," Thor held tighter as Loki started to squirm, he'd said, he'd told Thor he wasn't going back! "You said I could leave so I am. I thank you for the help in retrieving my brother and hope to see you again on better terms." 

If Loki hadn't been so concerned with escaping his brother's strong grip he would have been impressed with the lack of care Thor showed barging into the room where the tesseract was stored and grabbing it. 

Almost immediately there were people trying to stop Thor from leaving, guns at his brother's head along with Blue Steve running in from somewhere to take up a defensive stance. Thor merely tossed Loki under one arm, the tesseract sickeningly close to Loki's face and used Mjolnir to fly them through the roof.

Loki held on for dear life, knowing from experience what it was like to fall out of Thor's grip- he had to practice travelling with passengers with someone. Thankfully, this time didn't end with Loki changing into a bird, the two of them landing gently in a meadow where Thor used the tesseract to take them home. 

He was running as soon as they landed on Asgardian soil. The flight had left Loki with enough of a gap to escape and he used every second he could until he was pinned, again, Thor fighting no less gently as they struggled up the well worn path to the palace.

People stopped on the streets to watch them pass, Loki hissing at them just as much as Thor as he bit and scratched as best he could. 

It got to the point where Loki changed his form again, hoping a bear would have more luck. 

It did not.

In fact, the larger mass meant more for Thor to grab hold of, and pretty soon Loki was being shown into the throne room by guards who helped more than watched.

Odin was already seated and waiting for them. Frigga too, and just the sight of her had Loki scrambling back to the outskirts of Asgard, if only so he wouldn't have to tell her what he'd done. Odin he could always weather, but Frigga... 

She grabbed a hold of him as soon as he got near enough, her touch enough to get Loki to stop fighting. He changed back to his normal form, her arms getting tighter now she could fit him more snugly in them. 

"You're okay," she said, more to herself than Loki. "And you're back home."

"Frigga," Odin's voice had Loki tensing up again, Thor seeing it too as he immediately asked for a private audience with their father.

"No!" Loki hissed, daring Thor to overrule him. His brother looked ready to. He looked like he would just blurt out Loki's problem right now if it meant some sympathy would be had for Loki. 

Fortunately, Odin didn't want to listen to Thor's excuses and dismissed the request in favour of getting Frigga back to his side so they could actually deal with Loki's actions. It took a few tries before Frigga let Loki go. He almost clung on. Almost.

"Your actions have caused war and death in more than one realm. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Loki shook his head, there was nothing he could say. "I just wanted to make you proud," he settled on. "Rule over them like you always taught me to do."

"I taught you none of what you have done!" Odin bellowed. 

"I beg to differ." The wrong thing to say, he knew, and he wasn't all that surprised with the sentence that was given to him, the chains that were placed on his wrists as he was led down to the dungeons. It was actually quite preferable. At least this way he wouldn't have to look at Odin. 

Only, he knew for a fact he wouldn't be in there long. 

Sure enough, after what had to be no more than two days the guards came down to bring him back into the throne room. Thor was there to stand beside him, too smug right now to have nothing to do with this change in events. 

He didn't even have to look at his parents to know Thor had told them everything. Frigga was already hedging towards him and when Loki chanced looking at Odin, he didn't look away. It was a stalemate, neither one giving in until Frigga managed to breach whatever threshold kept her back and pulled Loki into another hug. 

"I'm so sorry," She mumbled, pulling back to tell him, "Don't worry, we're going to help you." Then glared behind her, just daring Odin to say anything to contradict her.

He didn't, just nodded and let Frigga take Loki to the inner palace. Not one word.

Thor followed them all the way up, looking ecstatic as he showed Loki what he'd managed to save as the guards, naturally, stripped his room when he became a prisoner. "Your magic books are back in the library, however, I will have them brought back so don't bother looking for them. Oh, and your clothes are in my room. I'll bring them with dinner."

Loki didn't say anything, just sat there and let his mother and brother fuss over him. It felt surreal. It was surreal. He knew, if he hadn't thrown up that day he wouldn't be sitting here. He'd probably be in his cell for the rest of his life, or at least until he managed to form an escape plan. They wouldn't care about him like they were now. They'd abandon him, like they wanted to. It was guilt keeping them around now.

"Loki." He focused back on his mother. "I said, we will go to the healers tomorrow. Thor said your wounds were mostly healed. But I wish to have you looked over anyway." She wanted his spawn looked over more like it.

"Fine." Since it would be pointless to argue. Free as this all looked, there were bound to be precautions. There had to be. Why else would Odin agree to let him out?

"Make sure you eat." She kissed his forehead, Loki leaning into it like he was a child again before she was gone and it was just himself and Thor.

His brother, thankfully, had bathed since last they'd seen each other. He was still fussing about Loki's empty rooms, setting things right that he'd dragged from his own. It was dark by the time Thor decided he was done decorating, hopping up next to Loki like nothing had happened between them.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Thor asked.

"Talking has never been our family's strong point."

Thor laughed, even if Loki meant every word. "I know, but I just thought... I would listen, if you needed an ear."

"Well, I don't."

Thor didn't leave. Loki supposed he had gotten used to the silences growing up and weathered them with ease now. It was like being back in his cell on Midgard, Thor a constant presence at his side.

Still, he slept fairly easily back in his own bed, and when he got the next morning he could almost forget the past few months had happened.

At least until the prospect of the healers reared its head. 

He was made to lie there despite his protests that he was honestly fine. The women did their work, most of them with sickened looks on their faces as they put together just how Loki managed to get with child. 

Thor popped his head in near the end, telling both Loki and their mother that Odin had asked for a family meal that night. The whole family, Thor had reassured them.

"Wait- is that it?" Thor ventured closer, Loki looking up to find the golden particles making up his supposed body focusing more intently on a shape in his stomach. "It looks... bigger than I thought it would be."

The healers thought so too as they started conducting more tests. Frigga ended up taking one of them aside, Thor taking her place as he watched the particles above shape around the tears in Loki's body.

"How are you feeling brother? Mother said she often got sick when she was pregnant. I know you were on Midgard."

Loki held back the immediate retort that she wasn't his mother, instead countering Thor with, "Do you have to talk so much?"

"I'm worried," Thor said. 

"Well don't be. It's not you with that thing inside of him is it?" A few healers stepped back at the tone of his voice, but Thor held strong, not looking phased in the slightest as he took hold of Loki's hand.

"No, I suppose not. But that does not mean I'm not allowed to be worried. It really is rather big. I thought they didn't grow that size for another few months." Thor stopped himself for a moment, looking around at the healers, daring them to try and listen in. "How soon after your imprisonment did they... attack you?"

Loki held silent. He wasn't telling Thor this.

Thor got the hint after a few minutes, preferring to talk about the spawn instead. He started on small things like how much their mother was already pestering healers to make soothing tonics for him. Then, it petered into territory Loki hadn't even considered. "That is... do you even want this baby? There are options."

Adoption was probably going to be the most prominent of those options. He thought about it, not even knowing now whether that would be a good thing or not. He wouldn't have to see the creature, that was for sure, but he'd always know it was out there. Forcibly getting rid of it one way or another was an option too. He wouldn't even have to tell Thor about it, just show up at the healers when it was done and say something tragic had happened. Thor would give up after a while of finding out who did it to Loki, and after a few years the whole thing would be forgotten about completely. Or, he could set Thor on someone, claim they were at the head of his baby's loss. Denial would only stoke Thor's anger, he would never believe them over poor Loki. 

The power that thought gave him alone was enough to revive some of his earlier gusto. He almost settled on that thought it was so heady.

But then another entered his head. The ultimate power move, and one that would certainly gain him some lenience when the baby started forming. 

"I want it," Loki settled on, for the first time in days a smile gracing his lips. "I think... I think it will be good for me."

"For us," Thor corrected. "We all want to share in your revelry as well Loki."

He was let go from the healers after a while, their mother giving him an odd look before begging out of the rest of the morning to share the news of Loki's health with Odin. Loki let her go without comment, actually quite excited for Odin to know. It put him in a good enough mood to let Thor hang about him in any case.

Thor took him to the market where Loki was surprised to see the people not reviling him as he thought they would. News of his torture must have gotten around, and while Asgard prided their warriors of being unbreakable, the Aesir knew that Loki was no warrior. Not by name anyway. He was the sneaky second son whose sly words had finally ran out, and while they did keep their distance, they were civil when he passed them on the street. Then again that could have just been because of the guards

Like Loki initially thought, he had restrictions despite his freedom. Thor painted the picture like he was a swooning maiden ready to bawl at any moment. The guards were there to make sure he felt safe, that they would take him back to the palace if he was too overwhelmed. Really, Loki knew they were there because Odin didn't trust him. He had a right not to as well. But Loki was done with his assaults right now. He could let his hate simmer and boil while he played the role Thor hoped he fulfilled.


	2. Chapter 2

The days seemed to pass in a blur. Pretty soon weeks had went by and the guard Loki had been assigned started losing their focus. Ordinarily, by now, he would be plotting some mischief or other. Maybe spiking the kitchen staff's drinks in the hopes that the orgy would mean dinner was delayed. Thor would be pissed that his food would not be coming to him as soon as he thought. Or, maybe Loki could get his revenge on Thor's renegade friends for their betrayal of him. They'd claimed closeness with Loki for hundreds of years, yet if it came to obeying their king and going after the brother they truly loved they chose Thor every time. He had a few nasty things he wished to bestow upon them for that incident. 

Yet Loki held strong and kept the peace. Just because there was leniency towards him now did not mean that he was entirely free of scrutiny. His pranks would probably be punished twofold now. He no longer had the claim of family to keep him out of harsher sentences, and his actions on Midgard just proved that he wasn't someone to be ignored. Not anymore. 

"What about this one?" Thor asked, holding another colour up for Loki's approval.

"Fine," he said, not really looking. There were two women in his mother's gardens. One of them he was sure he'd seen in the healer's rooms. 

"This one then?" Thor pressed.

"Whatever you think."

A strip of cloth broke his stare, Loki glancing up to see Thor looking pointedly at him. "Your mind is elsewhere today brother. Care to share why?"

All thoughts of the women in the garden fled. His spying was of no interest to Thor, and since he still refused to tell his brother about his incarceration in Thanos' stronghold he turned back to what they were initially doing. "What in Hel is that colour?"

The words worked as Thor pouted, holding the strip of sickly orange cloth up, "I like it. It looks like a sunset."

"If that sunset was about to kill itself maybe. What's wrong with green? Or gold? Even mother's blue?"

The cloth was thrown to the side. "I thought maybe it would be nice if the baby had colours of their own. Mother was fond of dressing us different from her and father remember."

"I thought this was for me?" New clothes had been the pitch Thor barged his way into his rooms with. 

"It is," Thor reassured, turning his back in a clear sign of guilt as he rifled through the other strips they had, "I just thought it would be nice to plan ahead."

"Well don't."

The pout was back, but Loki paid it no mind as he turned his gaze back to the gardens. The women were gone. If one of them truly was a healer there was only one thing they were conferring with mother about. Annoyance flooded through him. They should be talking to him directly, not going behind his back. Even before he knew of his parentage he'd thought it insult that they would ignore him so plainly while not doing the same for Thor. The people didn't know what he was. To them, he was still a prince, and still they treated him as nothing.

Thor came back, his hand hovering over Loki's tunic, one finger pressing just slightly in to graze his stomach. It was more raised now that the months had settled in. The baby was growing more than the healers thought it should, which had Loki avoiding him when they called this week. He suspected the reason for why the rapid growth was occurring, but, until he knew more he wasn't letting anyone else find out. This was his game, he was going to be the one to reveal the cards when and if he so chose.

"I know it's hard to be excited," Thor mumbled, his finger retracting in favour of leaning against the wall. "I would not be in your place. But since you agreed you would keep it I thought you would have some want to start preparing. Maybe keep your mind off things. You've always been an organiser."

He stifled the urge to snap at Thor, it wasn't his fault he was feeling moody this morning after all. "I know. Just, not now brother."

He shifted away from the window, wishing, not for the first time, that he could change shape into a bird and fly off. The problem was, these days, he was finding it hard to shift into something smaller than himself. Bigger was better, in fact, bigger was the most comfortable he could be. But since a bird was on the small scale of things to turn into, and Loki still couldn't find anything large enough that had wings he could shift into, he was stuck on the ground, waddling through his days. 

Thor hadn't moved, watching everything Loki did with a critical eye. Unlike the guards, Thor's gaze was purely concern. He was taking to being an uncle with an almost exuberant amount of joy. He didn't say as much to Loki. In fact, he barely mentioned the baby to Loki, and instead focused on other matters when he came to visit. It wasn't that Thor didn't want to talk about the creature, it was that he seemed to realise Loki wouldn't be as happy to do so as well unless it was concerning its health or comfort such as the baby clothes. That wasn't to say Loki didn't hear him talking about the baby altogether. When he passed hallways he often heard Thor tell his friends all the things he was planning to teach his little niece or nephew. He was even asking people their names for some inspiration he hoped to pass on to Loki later. Which, of course, meant that the whole keeping the baby quiet thing was now a moot point. 

Thor wasn't a secret keeper, and since he hadn't been expressly forbidden from mentioning Loki's predicament, the whole kingdom was getting excited for the royal baby. The other day while walking the market he had no less than four people come up to him and subtly hint at their expertise in crafting a crib. The week before, some bold maidens that didn't seem to heed their elders hissed warnings to keep clear of the witch prince started giving him birthing advice. 

Needless to say, Thor was excited.

"I'm surprised you're still here," Loki said, moving to a more comfortable seat. "Didn't Odin give you clearance to return to Midgard? Your mortal will be missing you."

The Bifrost had been completed about two weeks ago, and since its reopening Thor had been summoned to Odin's chambers every day. Loki didn't have to guess to know that he was trying to send Thor to clean up the mess Loki had wreaked when the Bifrost had closed. Yet, here Thor was.

"I suppose. But as soon as I leave I most likely will not return until after the little one is born." 

All the more reason to leave by Loki's standards. "I am sure mother will send a messenger. All you'll really be missing is me whining at your for months on end." Thor didn't even smile at the half hearted joke. "Is something else wrong?"

"Why would something be wrong?" 

Too quick to his answer he noted, "You're never one to pass up adventure. You haven't spatted with your mortal have you?"

"Would you care if I had?" Thor countered, then slowly shook his head, coming to finally sit beside Loki. He had his earnest eyes on, even going so far as to take Loki's hand so the message really was sincere. Loki sometimes wondered if Thor had taken all of their mother's handmaiden's fictions to heart about the perfect man. There was seriously no other explanation to it. "I just do not wish to leave you."

"You don't trust me?" Loki guessed.

"It is not that," Thor insisted, his grip tightening. "It's just, the last time I left you here alone I returned to my family shattered and my brother flinging himself into torture. I do not doubt you are able to take care of yourself, or that you mean any more ill will towards us, I simply do not want to go in case something happens beyond your control and I am not there to help you." The grip loosened, Thor making sure to make eye contact that Loki was considering avoiding. "We are finally mending Loki. But you and I both know this peace is fragile."

Which was true. Thor, right now, was the only one, save their mother, who Loki felt he could actually be around without wanting to change them into a frog. He was still yearning for what they had lost, but since Thor refused to see them as anything but family he was finding it harder and harder to label him anything else. Frigga he didn't think he had ever denied her feelings. Odin on the other hand... Loki hadn't spoken to him since he'd been released. 

"You should go," Loki said anyway. "I'll be fine."

Thor didn't answer, yet a few days later Loki was informed that Thor had went off to Vanaheim to help keep the peace.

With Thor gone, Loki hadn't realised until that point that he was lonely. He lived for solitude on the best of days, loved it since it meant he could get his research and magic completed in peace. But magic and research only lasted so long before even that grew tiresome. 

His mother didn't have time for him, she had duties of her own, usually helping Odin with his audiences or council meetings. The free time she did have Loki was already busy doing something else, or didn't think about bothering her. Especially because she didn't have the tact Thor did about keeping quiet about the baby.

Loki couldn't even go bother Sif or the Warrior's Three since they were off with Thor, which meant, when he decided to seek out company, he had to make do with the guards that would really not spend all that much time with him. Of course, that didn't stop Loki from pestering them, and once he'd figured out their like for gambling, well, he wasn't called a trickster for nothing.

Pretty soon he had guards voluntarily changing shifts just to try their luck at cards or dice. He had a whole side business going, enjoying the curses he got when he passed the losers since they were back the next day for more. The extra money came in handy too, since no one would notice if money that didn't come from the royal treasury was spent. He got himself a nice new dagger, his helmet mended too. 

He was hanging it back up when a messenger came running in. "This is for you," he said around his pants.

There was a nicely sized bundle of cloth in the mans hands, Loki opening it out to see a new cape. "Tell my brother thank you and that if he gets himself killed I'll make sure to commemorate him at my coronation."

The messenger left, Loki adding the finely made cloak to his other gifts Thor had thoughtfully sent back from his travels. 

One month turned to three, then four, and by the time the messenger came home with news that Thor was giving this new gift in person Loki was vastly uncomfortable. 

He'd taken to lounging around like a bear most days, the servants quickly getting used to tip toeing around him when it was made clear Loki wasn't changing back willingly. His mother had started making near daily visits, worried more and more the longer she didn't see Loki in his normal form that something was wrong. He would have told her he was alright had he have the effort to actually change to speak.

It was harder to walk now the bump had seemingly come to term, even as a bear he could feel the protrusion that should really not have been there. He had to pee almost all the time when he was in his normal form. His ankles hurt, his back hurt, he was generally hurting everywhere and it wasn't getting any better.

"Darling," his mother soothed on her daily check up. "Perhaps we should go to the healers."

After he'd stopped attending it was one of the biggest things they fought about. He didn't want her finding out what was going on. Not yet. So he tried to argue that if something was truly wrong he'd go see them. She'd dragged him at one point, Loki only escaping because Odin had appeared to see that no one was dying. She hadn't tried the same thing again, not after Loki locked her out for a week. Usually these days she was taking the guilt method. Had Loki not prepared himself for such an event it probably would have worked by now.

She stroked his cheek, "You know I don't like to see you in pain. They probably have a remedy. I know they used to help me when I was with Thor."

Hold strong he told himself.

"Maybe we can get you checked out while we're there as well. The baby seems almost ready to come out. If it is we should be making arrangements."

Don't give in, Loki repeated.

"It's not like we know exactly how long Jotnar's are pregnant for."

That had his attention, Frigga saw it too from the smug smirk she was stifling.

"Well, darling, you had to have considered it. You are quite big." 

Actually he hadn't. For so long he'd been thinking... but, this might make sense. He was apparently a 'runt' after all, others of his species were giants, literal giants. Since this creature was half his there was a good chance it had skipped the runt gene and was coming out full giant. It definitely made him curious enough to consider going to the healers. 

"I can have a private screening made up for you," Frigga suggested, "Ingrid's known from the start, and since she's sworn to secrecy I think we can trust her to make sure you're okay."

Tempting. But still... it was better not to chance it. So Loki set his head down again and let his mother change the subject to other, trivial, matters. Like the nursery.

He was happier than ever when Thor came home. Frigga was so excited that she forgot to even ask Loki about the healers, and instead tried to convince him to shift back so she could get him fitted for the feast. It was a trial that amounted to nothing since Odin apparently had a word with her and it was agreed by all parties that Loki should just stay in his rooms. 

Loki would have liked to be present for that talk. He'd wondered through the long months just what Odin had thought about Loki's predicament. Whether he was happy for his first supposed grandchild like Frigga. Or if he was feeling a bit hot under the collar since Loki being in this state was basically his fault. He yearned to know. 

The night of the feast Loki heard the exact moment Thor returned. The air seemed to charge around the whole palace, Loki's fur standing on end as it got thicker and thicker until there was a resounding boom of thunder and the cheering screamed so loud it felt like he was right there with them. 

He popped another grape in his mouth to calm the kicks that were assaulting his poor stomach. It felt like one of those human devices, the ones that punched in the ground without stop, hammering away again and again despite the fact that the creature only had four limbs. Needless to say Loki was less than appreciative of his brother's return.

The music went on all night, the laughter seeming endless. Only the best was given to Thor and the people rejoiced in having him back home. All except Loki who couldn't even get a few hours sleep without waking for either the baby or the noise.

As morning rose he felt like he'd drank half of Asgard's ale and was less than pleased that the people coming to rouse him into a bath seemed to be feeling the same. They didn't even bother filling his fruit bowl, seeming that distracted by not vomiting on Loki's floor. He dismissed them with a growl before they could do more harm, like botch up his bath water, and settled, floating, weightless, in the water.

He drifted off half buried in the water, the baby quieting down enough that he managed to sleep half the day away. Half the day because at noon, just as the door opened to let in less hungover servants, it also let in Thor. 

"Brother!" He said, in that too loud voice that even the servants didn't appreciate. "Here you are. I have been looking for you."

Loki gave him an unimpressed look as he clambered out the water, shaking himself pointedly in Thor's direction until he'd drenched that stupid tunic he was wearing. Thor didn't seem too perturbed, following Loki back into the main chamber with that smile still on his face.

"Mother said you were grumpy. I suppose being left out of the merriment would make me so too. But," Here he scuttled over to the door where he'd dropped his travelling sack. Out of it he pulled a little wooden figure, and another, and another until there were twelve of them huddled in Thor's hands. He set them up carefully on the table in front of them Loki knowing without explanation that he was looking at replicas of himself, Thor, Sif and the Warrior's Three. "We passed back through Alfheim on our way back. A craftsman there remembered our good deeds, remember, the time with the Nokken. Anyway, he was going to have them sent to you after you expressed an interest in his work but I offered to bring them so- here."

Loki remembered the quest. It was one of the last ones they'd taken together with him believing them true brothers. The craftsman Thor was talking about was one of the merchants that came to Asgard only once every five years. Loki had spotted him about here and there before Alfheim, but it was only once he was taking in the true stock of his talent after their quest that he realised the merchant only sold the scraps to the Asgardian people. 

He had certainly done a good job here, the likeness of the faces uncanny. 

Thor picked up his replica, seating him on the horse all of them had, even if Loki remembered them going on foot. Thor did too since he hopped Loki's up as well, "He said it looked more majestic if we were atop steeds. I have to say I agree." He played with the little Thor and Sif for a while, pestering Loki by making them ride up his shaggy legs. It was on the fifth time that Loki forcefully batted the little Sif away that Thor decided to set them down again. "So," Thor's eyes travelled not so subtly down to the bump visible even as a bear, "How are you?"

Loki shrugged, the both of them knowing that if Loki wasn't going to change for Frigga there was no way he was changing for Thor. 

The answer was still good enough, Thor nodding as he agreed, "Good. Mother said you were well anyway. Just grumpy. It seemed you were wrong about me missing the worst months." Not that Thor seemed even remotely displeased about that. "Anyway," he went on, filling the rest of the silence with his tales of the other lands.

For the first time Loki longed to be there with him. He missed the excitement of adventure. The thrill of outwitting a foe. Living through Thor was only proving how miserable Loki truly had been here in Asgard all these long months. 

It got worse in the coming days. While Thor was back he wasn't truly free to do as he pleased. Odin had him busy from dusk til dawn giving reports to the council about his triumphs. When he wasn't doing that he was showing the trainees the mettle they would need to be a warrior of Asgard. Even after that their mother required some time alone with Thor because she hadn't seen her son in so long and her other one was being particularly difficult. 

No time at all for Loki in any of that.

When Thor did grace his presence again it was in the dead of night. Loki was awake picking stray wood chips out of his claws. The carnage was not missed by Thor who promptly flung a severed horse head at Loki's face. 

"This was a gift!" he barked. "And had it been from me I would understand." There looked to be more Thor wished to say, but as soon as he started picking up bits of wood his temper strayed more into frustration. 

It was absolute carnage on the floor, bits of wood scattered across the tiles and even on the balcony as Loki continued to pick his fur. 

When it was as clean as it was going to get in the dim light, Thor shoved what he had salvaged onto the table, stopping slightly as he noted the figures Loki had saved. "So you did not like the horses?" Thor guessed, then thought better as he held up the delicately severed heads of his friends. The only ones still intact were Loki and Thor. "Brother, you can not hold a grudge against their actions forever. What's done is done. They wish to make amends."

Loki doubted it, to them they had done nothing wrong. Neither had he. There was no bridging the gap until one of them caved and it certainly wasn't going to be him. 

Thor spent the rest of the night trying to stick his friends heads back on, and when he left, he took the figures with him, promising they'd be looked after. No doubt Thor was going to be looking around the stalls tomorrow for little wooden chariots.

When the duties died down Loki soon came to know that having Thor back was not in fact wholly a good thing. For one, it meant that Frigga now had a comrade in arms in her quest to get Loki to the healers. Thor jumped at the chance to freely talk about the baby, and once his mouth was open it didn't seem to stop. He was threatening Loki with a treasury of toys he was hoping to bestow upon his niece or nephew at one point. At others he was researching the Jotun's, lamenting at their mother that they really needed better books.

"It says here that the babies are born the exact size of an Aesir child," Thor informed them.

Frigga frowned, "I thought as much. Loki was smaller than you when Odin brought him home after all."

Thor cleared his throat, "Er, I meant a child of six mother."

"Oh." They both cast worried glances to Loki's stomach.

Loki himself was ignoring them as he tried to move into a more comfortable position. 

"The pregnancy is shortened too. Apparently their bodies form the children more quickly because of the cold. They babies also learn to stand in the first month." The pair of them cast another look to Loki. He knew full well that they were thinking about the fact it took Loki two, and even then Frigga hadn't been expecting it. She had ran herself ragged across the castle after Loki just up and walked out half way through his nap. He was up to mischief even as a newborn. Yet still late according to Jotnar standards.

"Well, at least we know the size is nothing to worry about," Frigga said after a minute. 

Thor grunted his agreement, flicking through another few pages. "I don't know, from the look of it Loki shouldn't be this big for another two months."

Loki tensed, knowing what was coming before his mother turned beseeching eyes on him. "Loki-"

He hoisted himself up and out of the room. He was not going to the healers.

Although, the thought did sound good a few weeks later. 

Thor had coaxed him out into the gardens for a walk, sprouting some kind of nonsense about it being good for the baby. How it was good for the baby when it was Loki that was moving, not the thing was beyond him. Yet Thor was insistent, and since Frigga had been more insistent than ever these days to get him to see someone he took the escape while he could. 

A few courtiers waved over at Thor, most of them keeping a wide berth as Loki ambled along beside him. He felt heavier with each step he took and knew for a fact, kicking or not, he was getting a nap after this. 

They rounded the corner, Loki considering just sitting down under that tree over there when he felt a twinge in his bladder. His body shifted of its own volition, Loki knowing that the spawn had decided to show its face at last.

He didn't wait for Thor to cotton on, turning immediately into the fastest thing he knew and taking off through the trees to a quiet part of the garden. He knew a place that not many people frequented, mostly because it was under Odin's own chambers. Loki had gotten away with many a deed hiding out here, some that he didn't even want to think about as he let instinct take over for brains. 


	3. Chapter 3

It was long and terrible, that was what Loki remembered. 

Thor had shown up at one point. Their mother another. Even Odin had reared his head, staring down from the balcony, but he'd quickly retreated at the sight of Loki. 

Selective healers Frigga had sworn to secrecy tried to work out just how they were to get Loki to give birth. Eventually they got the stable hands in when Loki refused to change from a horse. 

The day was long behind him when relief finally came. He changed back to his normal form with tired glee, chuckling madly as his gaze found Odin's balcony. Everyone around him was silent. He didn't blame them. He didn't even look at them, too focused on willing Odin to look, to see what he'd done. 

"This is your fault!" he called, the taunt doing its work in bringing Odin out. 

His so called father didn't stay there long. He probably knew what he would be gazing at, and the horror written plainly on his face proved Loki's assumptions correct. He heard himself laugh again, rolling on his side until he could finally curl up exhausted. 

Someone carried him back to his rooms. The baby wasn't. It wouldn't be. Loki didn't think Thor had even considered, that any of them but Loki had considered, that it wouldn't be Jotnar, that the child would take after its sire instead. But Loki had known. He'd suspected when he'd first been kicked in the middle of breakfast. He'd worked it out looking over his magic books, developing theories and explanations. He'd known that since he'd taken another form during the conception there was no way that thing would come out looking Aesir or even Jotun. It wasn't the way of shape changing. 

Soft voices woke him, Thor's loud timbre shaking his entire frame as it came closer, something wet and cool covering his forehead. "What do you think he meant?" 

His eyes opened. No, they had already been open. They felt like they had been open a while, only now seeing the room above him. Mother was pacing. He didn't think he'd ever seen her pace. Not even when both Thor and Loki had been stricken ill by a fever as children. Yet she was pacing now. "I don't know Thor. Just like I didn't know the last time you asked." She looked sorry as soon as the words escaped her mouth, her hands clutching her already creased gown. 

Thor didn't take it to heart, he always seemed to look past the barbs to focus on the real problems. Another reason Loki was convinced he'd been spending too much time listening to their mother's handmaidens. "Perhaps you should go ask him. At least make sure the... baby? is okay."

"I'm not leaving Loki." Which, from her tone, was the end of it.

He spent time looking at them, noticing the darkness under their eyes, the weariness in the hand that held his own. It didn't look like they'd slept since the creature was born. He didn't know whether to feel thankful or terrified.

He went with terrified the longer he lay there, his fear reaching a point where he didn't care that he was still aching and felt like he weighed a tonne in order to sit up. Thor grabbed him as soon as he saw Loki was awake, helping him the rest of the way up to the top of his pillow and immediately shoving some kind of liquid down his throat. 

"How are you feeling?" 

Frigga asked the same, crowding him on the other side, latching just as hard as Thor onto his arm. 

"Where is it?" Loki asked instead. "The baby?" He clarified when they continued to just look at him.

Thor eventually answered him, staring with a pointed, "He, is fine. We had the healers take him to make sure he was healthy."

"And Odin? Where is he?" Say what Loki did about the baby he had chosen to carry it for all those long months. While he didn't exactly love it, he wasn't going to let it be executed because Odin wanted to cover his tracks.

They shared a look, Frigga sighing as she got up, "Your father is in his chambers. Where I should be going too." She smoothed herself down with magic, the manic state disappearing in favour of the queen that had brought the two of them up. She kissed Thor on the cheek, "Look after your brother." Hesitating only a moment before embracing Loki. "I will send him up if you wish."

He thought about it for a moment, wondering if he really wanted to look at the thing he'd given birth to just yet. Curiosity won out, Loki nodding slowly.

Frigga hugged him again. "Very well. Recover soon."

She left, the door closing softly on her way out. Loki relaxed back into the pillows, safe in the knowledge that at least two people would put up a fight to keep his son safe should he ask it. Speaking of, Thor handed him another goblet, water this time, and stared at him until Loki drank it all down. 

"Do you want to tell me now brother?" Thor asked, "Or am I going to have to guess?"

"I'll tell you," Loki decided, knowing this was the right time. It needed to be if he was going to keep his footing in Asgard. "But I want him here first."

So they waited. It took near on an hour, Thor coming and going to the door almost every minute to ask on progress, before there was a quick knock on Loki's doors. The corridors had been swept clear, no one but those who needed to knowing about the boy. A stable hand brought him in, the creature nosing its way around until some recognition flooded it and he started towards Loki.

Loki had loved quite few things in his life. He loved his mother. Thor. Odin once upon a time, and he could feel the feeling overcome him again as he watched the beautiful eight legged foal toss its head excitedly in its run. He still cursed the pain it took to make the little thing, but Loki could admit that perhaps the pain was needed for something this wonderful to happen.

"He's glorious." He leaned to the side, meeting the foal as best he could while still in bed. 

"He's- he is," Thor agreed, sending the stable hand off with a wave. "He's er, also a horse."

"I know." He had eyes after all. 

The horse didn't stay by his side for long. It tired of petting just as quickly as Loki did, and since he had obviously been fed, took to exploring his new surroundings with gusto. Loki felt like outright cooing as his son started nosing one of the capes hanging up. 

Thor pointedly cleared his throat, the spell breaking as Loki remembered there were things that needed to be said. He hoisted himself up with care, meeting Thor's confused eyes and wondering just what was going to happen when he was done. He hoped it was worth keeping his silence for this long.

"I suppose I should tell you I was pregnant before I fell from the Bifrost." Not the start of the story, but close enough for Thor to start clenching his fists. No doubt countless memories were flying through his head right now. The fight they had, the fall, the torture and battle that came afterwards. Things that were and were not Thor's own fault. Chances where Thor was potentially killing his nephew. Confused as he was right now, a baby was still a baby, and Thor had been kicking himself for New York as soon as he found out. Now, with more to add to that list, he was going to be grovelling to Loki for at least a millennia.

The foal was back, testing his legs on trying to climb the bed. Thor had to eventually get him, Loki not minding in the slightest that his baby was less than light while he was in this form. 

"Sleipnir. How about Sleipnir? For a name?" 

"Loki," Thor reminded him.

He sighed, watching the foal test the softness. "It was a few weeks before your coronation,"

_There was talk that Odin was going to be naming the crown prince any day now. Loki could hardly wait. He'd been putting himself forward for years, dedicating himself into proving just how valuable he would be as a king. He'd sacrificed days he could have spent having fun, like Thor, to sitting in on council meetings. Of going among the people and learning just how a kingdom was run. He knew he had a lot to learn, but his father had always said he was still learning, and surely with both of his parents there to help him he'd be able to emulate the strength their father had shown them._

_It wasn't like Thor wanted to be king anyway, Loki thought as he returned from the outlying streets. His brother had the soul of a wanderer, not a politician. Loki bet if he declared Thor the head of their military, even the foreign ambassador, he would take it over being king. It gave him the life he'd always wanted. The ability to roam as well as protect his kingdom. It wouldn't leave him miserable, longing for open fields while his people needed his sole attention._

_No, best leave that to Loki._

_He passed the training grounds as he journeyed back to his chambers, his brother still at it, swinging his hammer around and showing off. Sometimes Loki wondered why Thor's friends didn't put him in his place. Hogun was obviously a more cunning fighter, he could best Thor in his own arrogance and have him begging for mercy in under a minute. Yet he didn't. Just as Fandral continued to stroke his ego, Volstagg encouraged his gluttony and Sif refused to do anything too outlandish in case she was cast out. If they were true friends, they would have taught Thor to be a better man than what he is._

_Well, maybe not better. His brother wasn't too bad. But sometimes he let himself get swept away in the glory that came with being royalty. He didn't see the hard work that went into it. To him, ruling was just as simple as picking up his hammer._

_He didn't linger, not after the last time had ended up with Loki in the ring himself. He had more important things to do, like read up on the visitors they were hosting next week._

_He poured over every scrap of information he had, even the words blurring before his eyes did not sway him from his task. Tired as he was, he knew the words would right themselves soon, they always did when he spent his nights like this._

_The candle dimmed, Loki spending a few minutes trying to remember the spell to light another when a knock sounded at his door._

_"Enter."_

_He stood, the book forgotten as Odin strode in._

_It must have been a formal matter since he hadn't bothered changing out of his clothes for the day. Perhaps even ceremonial. Loki felt his hopes raise, gladly pouring some wine for his father as he bade him sit. "You have need of me?"_

_"I'm afraid so." Odin set the glass to the side. A really serious talk then. "I have a dilemma I was hoping you could solve."_

_"Anything," Loki promised. For Odin to be coming here instead of to Thor this must mean something. Odin was finally realising which of them he could trust with delicate matters._

_"You remember the builder?"_

_Loki started at the reminder even as he nodded. They all knew about the builder._

_He'd come proclaiming that Asgard's walls were weak, which, considering they had just warded off fire demon assassins, wasn't wholly wrong. He'd bargained with Odin, some price that none of them were privy to know and the next day he'd set to work. Loki hadn't really thought much of him when he'd passed the man in the halls. The glamour he wore was poor he thought, but since so few people in Asgard even knew how to recognise never mind see a glamour, for the purpose of passing as an Aesir he'd done rather well._

_"What of him?"_

_"The bargain I struck. It cannot be fulfilled on my end."_

_This was news. Odin prided himself on his word. They all did, even Loki. It was why people were so frustrated with him, he always kept his word, just not in the way they expected. To go back on it now would show the people that he wasn't the king they thought he was. Distrust was a powerful thing. It could topple a kingdom fairly quickly._

_So Loki was more than a bit confused as he said, "I do not understand, you want to end the contract now?"_

_Odin hesitated a moment before the father was replaced with the king. Certainty poured off every inch of his body now as he said, "No. To do so would be cowardly. I was more looking for an alternate way to stop this builder from completing his work in time."_

_"How long do you have?" Since the work looked almost done by Loki's standards. Another morning and he'd be finished._

_"A day. He can not finish Loki."_

_Ah, he knew why Odin had come to him now. While Thor would have probably smashed the whole wall down and cause a war between the builder and Asgard, Odin did not want the wall to come down. He wanted another solution, a sneakier solution that would give Odin what he wanted while leaving the builder empty handed. A trick. It was a good thing he had a trickster._

_"What did you have in mind father?"_

_Odin didn't say much, just asked Loki to meet him by the front gates before sunrise._

_He did, his father waiting rather impatiently. Already the builder could be spotted making his way through the streets. His glamour really was poor, allowing Loki to see the towering creature that he was. Around them, someone looked to have let the horses loose. Not an uncommon sight since they did frequent the fields when not in their stables._

_"Listen to me," Odin hurried, taking Loki further to the side until he got a clearer look at the builder, "I need you to shift into a horse."_

_"A horse?" Loki clarified. Again, not an uncommon thing. His father had often used him to send messages as a child, although, thinking back he was probably humouring Loki for finally being able to shift into a bird._

_"The horse the builder has, it's the only tool he needs. He uses it to pull the stone up to the palace. In the mornings he has three carts hauled and in the afternoon four. I need you to stop the horse after one."_

_"By turning into a horse myself?"_

_"It will not look so suspicious." Hence why the horses were loose. "And if you so happen to have an extra allure to distract the creature..."_

_"You- you want me to seduce it?" He concluded. "What if he catches me?"_

_"I have faith in you," Odin said, taking one last look at the builder before insisting, "You will be rewarded for this, mark me Loki."_

_"Rewarded?" That sounded promising. "Like naming me crown prince?" Loki tried._

_Odin scrutinised him for a moment before nodding, "It will vastly help your chances."_

_Which, considering just how much else Loki did for Asgard was as good as telling him he was getting it._

_He was practically giddy as he skipped behind one of the mares, changing his form until he was the envy of all the other girls._

_It took little to coax the horse when the builder unloaded the cart. Loki barely had to toss his head before he was being chased around the palace. He bore in mind what Odin had said about time. If the builder got his horse back with enough time to spare he could complete the wall. So Loki ran. He made sure that the horse didn't loose interest, that the builder was constantly four steps behind them and ran them until the sun went down._

_The builder cursing told him he'd done a good job, so Loki settled himself for a breather in the palace gardens, tossing his head back in the hopes Odin was there and knew they had succeeded. In his arrogance, however, he'd forgotten about the horse._

_He didn't for long._

"When I asked about my so called reward he bought me a new cloak. Then to make matters worse, not only did he not even consider me to be the crown prince, he bypassed that altogether and said you would be king. King! You've never sacrificed half of what I have for him and for what? To be led on? Let's face it Thor, there was never any competition with me. He never saw me as anything but convenient."

"You know he loves you," Even Thor didn't sound convinced of the words he spoke.

"If that were true then why did he not come see me? If your son had been through the worst things any one man can, would you desert him?"

"Of course not," Thor said automatically, more things clicking as he probably realised that not once had Odin actually spoken to Loki since his return. Not even to make sure he was alright. 

"That's because you're decent Thor. But him- he doesn't care. He knew full well what was inside me and he didn't have the-" something wet nudged his cheek, Loki turning to see his foal sniffing around. He was looking for something to eat Loki's instincts said. "You're going to have to get some milk."

Thor looked like he had whiplash from the change in conversation. It took him five minutes to realise what had been said, another four for his feet to obey him and run to find someone who knew just what they had been feeding the foal on. 

While Thor was gone, Loki pulled his little foal closer, examining the fine muscles that would shape him to be an amazing horse if he wasn't mistaken. Those legs however, even now Loki worried about them. With eight his son would either be the clumsiest thing to every walk Asgard or the fastest. Time would only tell.

Thor looked almost frightened when he came back to the doorway. He hung there silent before some servant he sent for handed him a rather sizeable bottle which he quickly handed over.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, about the months. I shortened the time of his capture wit Thanos to about three or four months. This is because, well, Loki would have bargained his way out of being tortured in less than the year the movies apparently make him suffer. He would have been carrying for about eight or nine months, which is short for a horse pregnancy but Loki's Jotun heritage would mean he would carry for less time than a usual Aesir or even horse.


	4. Chapter 4

"Sleipnir," Loki called, the little horse raising his head to blink back at him. "You like that name? I think it suits you."

Sleipnir had no comment. Being a baby he only wanted milk and to explore. Already he had made a mess of Loki's chambers. Things were upended, food had been sniffed at. Loki's good cloak had found itself a new home on the floor. He didn't mind. It gave him something to watch while he was still on bed rest.

At first, he had thought it ridiculous that he was to be confined to his bed for a week. Stupidly he'd thought that his body's abiloty to heal would mean he would be on his feet by the second morning. Obviously he'd forgotten to take into account the energy, stretch and effort it took to push out an eight legged horse.

A week didn't sound long enough from where he was lying.

The door opened as Sleipnir attempted to get back on the spongey nest Loki called a bed, Thor making his presence known with a curse. "I left you for a morning. How are your chambers in this state?"

Loki helped Sleipnir gain the extra inch, moving his legs so he wouldn't get trampled as nap time reared its head. "He's curious." 

Thor huffed, setting the milk he'd fetched on the bedside before starting to right Loki's rooms. "I'm surprised you're this tolerant. You're usually so neat."

"I can make messes." He made them quite frequently too. The difference was that Loki tired of things trying to grow after a certain amount of time and cleaned up.

Thor, obviously, had locked the times Loki had left his rooms a mess in the back of his mind as he scoffed, pointedly looking up to recall, "When we shared a room I couldn't even leave my cape lying around without being screeched at."

"It was covered in sweat. You're not known for your cleanliness brother."

Yet here Thor was now picking up after a magical baby horse.

Really there wasn't too much destruction. The worst Sleipnir had wreaked was kicking down Loki's table because to his little foal it looked like some four legged monster. Thor righted that too with a small smile, Loki knowing Thor was just as taken with Sleipnir as he was after the shock had worn off.

Speaking of, "What's going on?"

The reason Thor had been dragged away from day three of baby life was due to a summons by the Allfather. They hadn't spoken, Loki and him, about Sleipnor's origins since it came out, nor did Loki really wish to say them again. But it wasn't like they could keep this story secret forever. The people were expecting a royal baby, Thor had made sure of that. The question was how they were going to tell the people about Sleipnir without them either damning Loki or the whole royal family together.

Thor didn't look pleased with what had happened as he gently moved his way around the bodies in the bed. Settled, Loki braced himself for another tantrum as Thor said, "They're going to say the baby was stillborn."

A logical move. One that would keep everyone involved safe. But Loki didn't want safe. He wanted justice for what had been done. Sleipnir was proof that wrongs had been dealt. If this had happened to another family, Loki had no doubt people would be punished. Yet, because it was Loki, easy manipulated Loki, Odin thought he could save his own neck by erasing Sleipnir's existence.

"I don't like it," Thor continued. "But I think you should agree."

"No."

"Loki listen," Thor pried his fingers from the sheets. Keeping them in his own as he insisted, "I don't want to say this but the other options are worse if you do not agree."

There it was then. Thor didn't even have to say it for Loki to know they had discussed execution. They would claim Sleipnir some monster, a creature forced upon Loki while he was tortured. They wouldn't see the possibility that itnwas nothing but a simple horse that managed to get a leg over him. That Sleipnir was no more harmful than the foals they kept in their stables. 

Odin would do anything to cover himself.

The thought alone, loathe as he was to admit it, had him considering the option Thor presented. Save running away with Sleipnir there was no other way Loki could keep him. Not under the guise of son anyway.

"What would happen to him?"

The air charged, Loki snatching his hand back as a shock went through him. Even Sleipnir noticed something amiss, stirring from his nap long enough to shift behind Loki. 

"What?" Loki pressed.

"Father... will have him taken away." Loki could feel the tantrum building. His magic reserves were ready to destroy, to be let loose once again, held back only when it turned out Thor wasn't finished. "He said he would put him with the others. Break him when he's older and hope the people will think he's merely a commodity we found on a quest."

They were going to take him, keep him near enough for Loki to see everyday, then ride him like he was a common horse. "Get out. Take him."

Thor didn't have to be told twice, hefting Sleipnir like he was an Aesir baby and getting him beyond the threshold in time for Loki's temper to snap.

He passed out as his magic left him in one violent snap. When he woke, Sleipnir and Thor were back like they had never left, his son gladly climbing over Thor to get every last drop of milk he could. 

Loki sat, wrestling Sleipnir from Thor long enough for the empty bottle to be put to the side. He held on a bit longer than he should have, letting go with the upmost reluctance since he knew he didn't like being held long when he was an animal too. He watched the retreating foal for a while, his mind working harder than it ever had to come up with some kind of solution. He couldn't let this happen. He wouldn't. How Thor was still sitting there and not advocating to Odin on Loki's behalf was a mystery. Then again, maybe not. Thor had said he agreed this was the best option they were given. He was probably making the most of the time he had left with his nephew before the ties were cut. 

"I want to see him," Loki decided.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Thor hedged.

"It isn't. But I still want to see him. Tell him tomorrow that if he even thinks about ignoring me I'll get up and walk to him myself." Frigga would be dragging Odin in if he didn't go willingly. She had made it pretty obvious she didn't want Loki overexerting himself so soon. 

"Can I stay?" 

Thor was learning to negotiate at least. Perhaps Midgard wasn't such a terrible idea after all. "Either you or mother, not both. I don't want him near Sleipnir."

The terms were fair and Thor agreed. When morning came he passed on Loki's message, their mother coming in barely an hour after Thor had left. She looked to be deciding between Loki and the foal trying to chew Loki's fingers off. She ended up taking Sleipnir, the wisest choice out of both. If there was one person Loki knew would present more than a sufficient guard between his son and Odin it was his mother. Thor was easily led, he would probably have let his guard down for some reason or another. But not their mother. 

"I'll bring him straight back up when you're done," She promised.

Odin was making him wait. It felt like hours before he heard Thor stomp in, much too long in the little time they had left to be away from Sleipnir. He was there to fuss as he realised that Loki was no longer in bed. Of course, Loki pushed away any offer of comfort. He didn't need to look like an invalid for this meeting. Not if he was to be taken seriously.

"A blanket at least," Thor pressed, the blanket in question already spread and ready to go around Loki's shoulders. "There's a chill today."

"It's the middle of summer." It was hot almost constantly. Even at night. Loki was almost tempted to draw himself a bath last night to escape the heat. But then Thor was there, so there was no way he would be able to do that on his own, and Sleipnir was just being so cute that he ended up suffering the whole night. 

The blanket came around him anyway, Thor satisfied enough to stop his fussing and take a stance close enough to intervene should something happen. 

Odin came with a flurry of pointed knocks down the corridor, the guards letting Loki know before his face breached the door that the king was near. It had him scowling before he even began.

"You've finally come to see me then," Loki greeted.

Odin, not intimidated in the slightest, set himself down in the chair next to Loki, the set up a painful reminder of how this all began. "What business do you have Loki?"

"You're not going to ask how I am? Everyone else has." Even the servants that came while Sleipnir was taken for check ups asked him how he was. Loki never thought he would see the day where people he didn't know cared about him more than his so called father.

"I have business to attend to," Odin said, like that excused him. "Speak your peace so I can get back to it."

"Fine. I'm not letting you take Sleipnir away." Any other day of the week he could probably come up with a good reason for why. He was good at getting what he wanted, making it seem like it was their idea to begin with. But, tired, sweaty and finding it hard to think past the pain in his rear all tact was gone.

"He is not being taken away," Odin started, as he always did when talking with Loki. He said something that sounded good then followed it up with what Loki had already said but worded in a way that wasn't so crude. Sure enough, "He is simply being put where he belongs."

"He's my son."

"He is a horse," Odin corrected. "A horse, not an Aesir. He does not belong up here. I thought you would agree that this is the best course of action for him. For both of you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

Odin sighed, Loki seeing Thor tense out the corner of his eye. They had already talked about this, Thor probably knew what was coming next. He was beginning to wish he'd listened in on all those secret meetings now. "It means, I did not think you would like to be reminded of what happened. As much as you claim to love the creature now you may not feel the same as he starts to mature." He leaned in close, the honest look that always worked for Thor in this situation lost on Odin. "I have seen you shy away from the horses Loki. How you go out of your way to avoid them when you're outside. Are you honestly going to be comfortable when that foal grows?"

"He's my son," Loki said when he couldn't give a good answer to that. "And how exactly would you even know that I avoid the horses? You haven't talked to me in months! This little proposal you made, you can say all you like that you're doing this for me, but I know for a fact it's to hide what you did."

"Your actions were your own," Odin snapped back.

"Father!" Here Thor intervened, "You can't honestly believe that. Loki told me about the bargain you struck. If you hadn't included Loki in your scheme he would not have Sleipnir. The fault does not fall on him."

"I asked him to distract the builders horse," Odin agreed, again with that tone where he was about to twist Thor's words against him. "Distract, not be mounted. If your brother decided to indulge in whatever fantasies he might have that is his own fault." Odin soothed himself back from his temper, obviously taking their silence to mean that he'd gotten his point across. "The horse will be removed and put with his own kind. It's for the best Loki."

He left.

Loki felt himself be herded back to his bed, not really seeing where he was going as his mind still replayed Odin's words again and again. The thing was with having a mind like Loki's, he could always see where the other person was coming from. It was how he was able to consider and predict their actions. So when Odin said that this would be for the best he could see that, in a way, by a long stretch if Odin still cared in the slightest about Loki, that he was taking Sleipnir away as a favour to his son. 

He wasn't wrong about Loki avoiding the horses, the stables, even the merchants that came through the streets in their carts. He saw those creatures and remembered the ease in which one of them caught him off guard. The humiliation of walking back to his rooms with  _things_ running down his legs. He couldn't even stand the sight of the toy horses Thor had brought him. They seemed to mock him in the night, pulling forth more bad memories of the past year than the good ones of the quests they had been on. He had to admit that he didn't know what he would do when Sleipnir started growing. It was okay now, he was small, non threatening. But pretty soon he would be taller than Loki, taller than a lot of them if he had managed to get some of his Jotnar genes. To take him now while Loki wasn't as attached would be a kindness.

Still, "I can not believe he said that," Thor mumbled, sitting on the bed beside him. "I know we joke Loki but there is no way that you would willingly go through with bedding a horse."

Another unfortunate consequence of being a shifter, he found, were the jokes people made. They seemed to think that while he was a different being he might mate with those of a similar ilk. It was one of the biggest reasons he disliked Sif, she seemed to have a penchant for implying just the right thing that would send the others into making bestiality jokes the rest of the day. To be fair on her however, it was his own fault she wasn't as taken with him, the whole hair cutting thing really didn't win him any favours. But the jokes still came and they still stung. So, somewhere along the way Loki had learnt to just embrace them. He even made some of his own, figuring that he should take some control of the situation if it reared its head. It also pissed Sif off to no end now she'd lost her big weapon against him. 

 If they found out about Sleipnir Loki wondered who would be surprised and who would just accept, like Loki, that he had been the one to instigate it. 

"It must have hurt," Thor went on. "Perhaps father is not thinking about that."

"He is. He just doesn't care Thor." He turned into snake to avoid the rest of the conversation, curling up on his pillow as Thor continued to curse Odin into the night.

Frigga must have come at some point since Sleipnir was back in Loki's rooms when he woke. His little horse didn't shy away when Loki slithered over to him, seeming to know no matter what form who his parent was. It made Loki glad, especially because as a snake he didn't feel the aches he did in his usual form. 

By mid morning the two of them had done a thorough investigation of the changes the servants had made to Loki's rooms during clean up. Loki was even able to teach Sleipnir a few things, like how best to wake his uncle up. 

"Ah, ow!" Thor hissed, avoiding another hoof to the side as he rolled directly into Loki's path. "You dare," Thor warned as Loki reared himself up. Loki bit him anyway, the motivation enough to get Thor fully up and racing to get away. "You're in a good mood."

Loki was. His time to think, tuning Thor out as best he could, had given him a new perspective on his situation. He was right when he said that no sleep, pain and sweat made it hard to think since it took under an hour as a snake for him to come up with a plan. A rather good one too. 

"Are you changing back today or am I telling mother she'll be having lunch with a snake?"

Loki blinked lazily back, Thor sighing before going to fetch himself some breakfast.

Loki waited until he was gone to change into something larger, his magic slowly coming back to him the easier it was able to mend his small body. The fox was easier to walk in, Loki running quickly around Sleipnir and to his joy watching the little horse take up the game and follow him easily. They ran around his rooms until Thor came back, Loki hiccuping a bark when his brother tripped on his fluffy tail. 

"Loki!" The tone was harsh, but Loki didn't think Thor was going to be turning on him very soon. Already Thor was grinning as he watched Sleipnir try and trip a Thor already on his backside. "And there was me thinking fatherhood would make you turn from your mischievous ways."

"I doubt anything will," Their mother said, announcing her arrival by stepping over Thor and gathering Loki up in her arms. Sleipnir followed them to the table now he had no one to show off too, nosing his way to a petting as Frigga took a seat. "Just as sweet as your father."

Thor scoffed, getting up to take the empty chair now Loki was held captive by their mother. 

They had lunch, Loki feeling very spoilt as Frigga hand fed him little grapes instead of expecting him to move and fetch them himself. He could see Thor pouting every time it happened, the attention Loki got off their mother always a sore spot for him because he couldn't get it the same way. Loki thought sometimes Thor wanted to learn how to shift just for the idea of being cuddled and pampered. He'd certainly mentioned it a couple of times when drunk. 

When lunch was over, and Thor had managed to avoid more bruises as he fed Sleipnir, talk turned to Odin once more. Thor had obviously spoken to her about what had transpired, whether last night or just before he came back with their mother Loki didn't know. But she had definitely had some strong words to say to her husband regardless.

"I told him that business with the builder would lead to trouble and he did not believe me. However, to think that he went behind my back..." Apparently there had been another distraction in place. One that Odin, Frigga and a number of trust advisers had come up with. One that didn't involve Loki giving birth by the end of it. 

"Have you asked him to reconsider taking Sleipnir away?" Thor asked.

"He says it's for the best," Which meant that Frigga wholeheartedly had been giving Odin the cold treatment between arguments when no results were gained. "I can only hope he changes his mind by Wednesday."

Odin's day, how fitting, and also only three days away. 

"That's too soon," Thor argued.

"Too late according to your father. He didn't want Loki to even see him if you remember."

He tossed his head back, Frigga stroking under his chin, a thanks as good as he could give right now. 

Three days then. More than enough time for him to start scheming.


	5. Chapter 5

His master plan started with Thor.

His brother thought he was being sneaky when he left for hours on a night. He didn't count on Sleipnir waking Loki up each and every time his uncle left the room, nor for him to follow him with his magic one of those occasions when paranoia was still running high in Loki's veins. He should have guessed that Thor was going to Heimdall, all that talk of his travels to other realms Loki didn't think once he'd heard Thor mention going to Midgard. He was scared, Loki realised as Thor left at lunch Tuesday to go check on his mortal. Scared of either her, which was preposterous, or the fact that no matter what he did or said there was simply no way that mortal could linger in Thor's life for longer than a fling.

With his magic almost fully rejuvenated, it was all too easy to scry his way across the Midgardian plains until he found the woman. She was on a date, she didn't seem that interested. But the fact that she was moving on would be enough to get Thor away from Loki's rooms for a while longer yet. Jealousy did so run hot through Thor.

He changed into his fox guise, not trusting Sleipnir's reaction with something like a bear yet as he dragged over the milk Thor had left and let his son have at it.

Distracted, and with Heimdall conveniently busy, Loki slipped out, making his trip quick as he scouted the halls. It took long enough for Sleipnir to start worrying, and Loki dutifully stayed still long enough when he got back to let Sleipnir ease his fear.

He went back to his scrying bowl, watching as the date was interrupted. They would have to wait a while longer yet.

It took a while for Loki to see his chance, his bowl going dark as he lost focus on the mortal. He tried looking for her again, finding nothing and knowing that Heimdall wouldn't either. The blindness would be distraction enough to have him and Thor truly ignorant of the palace, and Loki wasted no time chasing Sleipnir around until the foal started following Loki under the guise of a game.

The corridors were kept clear in his wing of the palace. They would be back to busy tomorrow when Sleipnir was gone, but for now it was only the two of them wandering through the halls. When they got to the lower grounds, Loki changed back into his normal guise, grabbing the blanket he'd put there the night before and draping it long enough to cover the extra legs on Sleipnir.

His little horse didn't bat an eye at the change in appearance, just nudged Loki's hand and followed when promises of more petting came.

The courtyard, unlike his halls were not so absent as he would have liked for midday. Warriors were coming back from their midday drink, courtiers finally showing their face after a morning of lazing around. It was too many people for Loki to pass by as himself. Changing would be smart, but Loki needed to keep his magic for now, so instead he grabbed a cloak from the nearest courtier, ignoring their condolences for his baby's passing and started worming his way through the throngs.

He wasn't stupid enough not to be counting the minutes down. Heimdall couldn't be blind to him forever, and it only took a few minutes walk before the courtier would reach the throne room and probably pass in mention seeing Loki up and about so soon. It wouldn't be time enough to be free of the city limits, and considering the guards coming after him would be on horseback he had to make sure he made his decisions wisely.

They took a left, Sleipnir still dutifully following as they descended into an alley. Loki wasted no time, casting his magic and listening for sounds of guards calling his name.

They moved off, taking back alleys and paths he would rather not have introduced his son to so soon in his life until he could see the guards patrolling the line that led to the Bifrost. Heimdall was no longer in his sphere, Thor back by his side with his mortal hanging there too. Their conversation was too far for Loki to read their lips, but he could feel even from a distance the way Heimdall narrowed in on him.

Cursing, he settled on moving past the guards first, which was easily done with a little distraction.

"There!" one of them called, the horses turning as one to get the doppelganger Loki conjured.

With them far enough out of sight he led Sleipnir to the rainbow bridge and for the first time since starting this desperate escape encountered a real obstacle.

"Come on," Loki cooed. "It's fine. It's safe."

Sleipnir reared away, already teetering towards turning back altogether.

Loki cast another look to the guards closing in on his double. It wouldn't be long before one of them touched him, and when they did they would be racing back to the bridge in seconds.

"Sleipnir now," He came off the bridge, grabbing the blanket and forming a sort of gentle sling. Sleipnir still didn't step foot on the bridge. "We have to go." He changed form, running around and hoping a game would entice Sleipnir up.

It didn't, and he could feel his double disappear and the guards start to backtrack.

In a last attempt, he picked Sleipnir up, those eight legs battering him as he dragged the foal over the bridge and to the sphere. "I swear you had best let me pass," Loki growled as he stopped Sleipnir from running back over the bridge.

Heimdall just shook his head. "You know I can't. Your father has told me to deny you access to the Bifrost."

"Fine," Loki hissed, appealing to his next best hope. "Thor, please."

The guards were on the bridge, Thor was obviously frayed by something as it took him seconds Loki didn't have before turning to Heimdall and asking in some convoluted way to let Loki use the gateway just this once. Again, he said no, and Loki wasn't even surprised. For Thor Heimdall would do anything. But Loki, even when he was king didn't get half the consideration he deserved.

The guards got to him before he could just lunge for the sword. They caged him in, one of them openly reviling at the weird eight legged horse. Thor quickly pushed his way through, but not before one of them grabbed Loki.

His hand went through, the guards all realising before Loki banished that double away that they had been tricked.

He spared one last glare for all of them before disappearing completely, the real Loki slowly steering the boat he'd stolen through the hidden passage into Midgard.

He'd never needed the Bifrost to escape. Just the distraction of blindness and time while he led them away from the alley and towards the docks. They should have learnt their lesson the first time that Loki was not going to be captured easily. He was a trickster, and it was rare for the odds to be so stacked against him that he didn't come out on top.

The river they arrived on was nothing like the one on Asgard. It smelled for one. Loki was reminded of the Dwarven mines the longer they ambled along it. There, the rivers were hard to find clean. The Dwarves used them to cool the metal and gems they made, along with a sort of sewage removal. Loki had taken great joy in keeping this information to himself as they quested through the realm when they were young. Thor had gagged at his first taste, Loki telling him it was an acquired palette. He probably would have gotten away with watching Thor retch the whole journey had they not supped with a family of dwarves on night. They made sure to tell Thor they only drank imported ale as soon as he asked about the rivers.

Still funny, and long into a time Loki feared he might never see again with his brother.

They stopped when Loki grew tired, Sleipnir marvelling at the trees that encompassed them as Loki set about making camp. It took longer than it usually did on quests, mostly because Loki couldn't use his magic just yet in fear of Heimdall tracking him. But Loki wasn't as useless as people might think and was able to start a fire and hunt some meat for himself.

Fed, there was only the matter of Sleipnir, which Loki had honestly been putting off since he'd given birth. He hadn't put much thought into what he should have been doing since he was neither a real horse, nor a female. But, away from the vast expanse of Asgard's milk supply he supposed he had no other choice but to find out if his body could indeed care for his son.

He put it off a bit longer until Sleipnir was pointedly nosing around for something to suckle. Then, making sure they were still cloaked, he changed his form and found out that his horse form truly did remember the little thing it had popped out. The experience of being fed from haunted him that night. Yet he had to do so again the next morning. Shortly after that too.

He hadn't realised until they were travelling and Loki finally stepping up just how much his son ate in a day. It was sore work, and eventually Loki just stayed a horse, nudging his little foal along when nap time started calling at an inconvenient moment.

He slowly got used to the hooves, blocked all reminders of his first use of this form from his mind. By two days they had made good leeway across the country they had landed in. Norway, if he remembered.

He used to come here as a child, during the days Odin would still venture to Midgard for his offerings. Thor and himself were not allowed to come with Odin, they weren't old enough even if the stories told about them said they were mighty grown gods. But that didn't stop Loki from coming here anyway. He found the secret passage through sheer determination and a little bit of accident, and used it many times to spook the mortals that stumbled in his path.

It had changed a lot since those days.

There were less wolves for one. There was less land too. It only took a manner of days before they were wandering into the nearest village.

There were whispers almost immediately as they started their way through. An eight legged horse was unusual on Asgard never mind the narrow minded Midgardians. People were getting out their... phones Loki believed them to be called, and focusing them on the two horses meandering their way through.

That night, Loki sought them shelter in a park. They were no less bombarded with people, but at least the green underground meant Loki could eat something rather than have them scare off the game if they venture back into the forests.

There was also another reason. One that quickly evacuated the people as a transportation device landed in front of them. Blue Steve and the Furious man walked out, other agents in black scattering around to secure the perimeter.

"And there was me thinking it was photoshop," The Furious man mumbled. Blue Steve looked just as shocked.

Loki subtly shielded Sleipnir from view. He wasn't that freakish, just a few extra legs really, the rest of him was quite beautiful.

"Where do you think they came from?" Blue Steve asked, venturing forward enough to be within arms reach of Loki.

"Don't know, but I wouldn't get too close. This one seems to think it's her baby."

Loki stepped even more in front at that comment. Seemed to think, he didn't seem to think anything.

"She looks to be feeding him," Blue Steve noted, his head tilting in a way Loki definitely snapped at him for. "Maybe it is hers."

"Maybe," Furious agreed. "Whatever the case we need to take them in. I want them looked at." He started calling other people to him as he started on a list of things for them to do. "Make some calls. Get Stark and Banner in if you have to. I want to know if this thing is alien or just a genetic mutant."

Loki jumped when he felt something sniffing at his stomach, settling when he realised it was just Sleipnir. He soon tensed up again at the feeding, hoping to whatever creator was out there that he never had to reveal he was the horse in front of them as Blue Steve didn't take his eyes off them for a second.

"What about the mom?" Blue Steve eventually asked.

Furious looked them over for a moment, had Loki been his normal self he would have magicked them into frogs by now. "See if you can separate them. If not, just bring her too."

He left, the carrier taking off and another, larger one landing.

Blue Steve had the decency to wait for Sleipnir to finish before trying to pry them away from each other. He didn't look happy to be doing it, so Loki took advantage and cajoled his way on board too. Especially when Sleipnir started putting up a fuss about being separated and put into a dark scary box.

Loki felt himself settling as the transport started lifting. This was what he had been hoping for. Midgard would be able to keep them safe, or at least Sleipnir until he was too old to need Loki around. The mortals would prod and poke, but he doubted they would seriously harm his son. Thor would get word too about it. He would probably be glad to know his so called friends were taking care of his nephew. It was better than imagining what Odin had in store.

The flight lasted a while. Long enough for Sleipnir to start whining and Loki to finally gain a sense of understanding for his mother. How she put up with both himself and Thor whinging their way to foreign lands Loki didn't know. He was ready to change back and beg quiet up front after two hours.

At least he wasn't suffering alone. But the Midgardians, instead of finding it annoying, were getting more and more worried the longer Sleipnir whined. He heard one of them wonder if they should tranquillise them, whatever that meant.

Blue Steve eventually came to Loki's rescue, silencing Sleipnir with so much petting Loki was sure he liked the mortal better than his own father when they landed. Sleipnir certainly followed Blue Steve out with no question.

They had landed in New York, rebuilding efforts still going strong as they were herded inside a large building. Loki thought he would feel guilty. He didn't.

The man of iron was waiting in the lobby for them, his hands twitching with excitement as Sleipnir ambled over with Blue Steve. The Hulk, Banner, was nowhere to be found. Loki found himself glad about that as he kept up with the others.

"God look at him," The man of Iron murmured. "How is he walking?"

"With ease by the looks of things," Blue Steve replied, patting Sleipnir as he nosed for another pet. "I thought he would have collapsed at some point, but he seems to be able to keep himself up. The Norwegians mentioned he was able to keep up with his mother's pace as well."

The man of iron crept around Sleipnir to appraise Loki. "This his mom?"

"We think so. She's definitely nursing."

"Poor girl," The man of iron mumbled, getting a bit too close to Loki's stomach as he made his appraisal. "I bet it wasn't easy popping that one out huh?"

"So you think it is his mom?" Blue Steve pressed.

The man of iron came back around, shrugging carelessly like he didn't already know for certain that Loki was. "No idea. I'd have to look up horses. But I wouldn't separate them again if I were you. Not if you want to be the one breast feeding the little guy captain."

Loki waited for someone to call the man on his bluff, but no one did. He couldn't believe they were taking this guy at his word. It was no wonder mortals had only now discovered alternate life.

They were taken to a room, bigger than the cell they had put him in last time, and with a door that led onto a wide patch of green. He knew it was artificial without even smelling it, they wanted to know Sleipnir's diet, and probably his when they finally put two and two together. Everything here would be controlled. But, it would be worth it for more time with Sleipnir. 

His son didn't seem too bothered by the confinement. He had been in Loki's chambers after all for most of his first week of life, if Loki had to guess what set him off before it was either the motion of flying or the fact the space was more limited to what he was used to. Either way he was back to his spry self in no time, kicking his feet up and trying to cajole Loki into chasing him around. 

It worked too, and even if he knew he was being watched he didn't care. What little time he had to remain undetected he was taking full advantage of, and if that meant that Sleipnir wanted to try his hand at rolling Loki over then Loki let him. 


	6. Chapter 6

Life as a horse started to get dull around the week mark. 

Yes, it was nice being pampered and treated like the king he deserved to be, but it was also extremely boring. He didn't mind so much when Sleipnir was awake, his little foal still couldn't get over his excitement at his new surroundings. He was constantly on the go, running around, rolling, playing, biting Loki's tail when he didn't get attention. 

But Sleipnir was only two weeks old. His baby needed to sleep. A lot. He was a good sleeper too, leaving Loki to occupy himself for hours before playtime came around again. At first he had contented himself with trying to find everything wrong with his pen, ways in which the others were observing them. When he finally found all the metal devices and stopped looking at himself long enough to realise the mirror was two ways he had to find another way to occupy himself. There wasn't much left to do.

Even napping got boring after a while, which meant that when the feeders came they got the brunt of Loki's boredom.

Already they had switched out the handlers four times. They either thought Loki was being aggressive when he pestered them or just didn't want to get them used to one person. 

Today it was Blue Steve, his suit gone in favour of clothes he'd seen Thor wear around their rooms. The handler with him set the food down, Loki spotting some meat amongst the pineapple and hay. His stomach preened at the idea of meat after so long on a fruit based diet. A horse he was, but Loki was still Loki, and meat was nothing to pass up on to an Asgardian. 

Strangely, Sleipnir seemed to agree with that as well as he darted past Loki and swiped up the meat before he could even try to see what animal it was. His disappointment only lasted a few minutes, the pineapple doing enough to quench the thirst for something tasty in his mouth, but it did leave him wondering why Sleipnir seemed to have a taste for flesh. 

The handler was already out the room by the time Loki looked up again. From the remaining look on blue Steve's face it seemed they were as unnerved as Loki with the idea of a carnivorous horse. It didn't stop Blue Steve from coming over for a pet however, when Sleipnir finished his share and went in search of better nutrition from Loki. 

To say that Loki was slightly more hesitant to letting Sleipnir feed from him now was an understatement, he almost pushed his son back and demanded to see his teeth before common sense kicked in and he started thinking logically again. 

Of course Sleipnir would eat meat. A horse though he looked, he was also Jotnar, and from what Loki had learnt their diets consisted mainly of meat. Of anything they could get their hands on really. He remembered, distantly, Thor telling him, when they thought it would be an actual baby, that Loki was looking at starting his kid on a mix of solid food and milk by the second week mark. According to Frigga Loki himself had already been eating the bones from his boar when Odin brought him home. It made sense, and it wasn't like Sleipnir was going to hurt him, he'd proven his teeth could be as gentle as they were quick as he didn't even try to break skin when he nuzzled his way under Loki's stomach.

"Maybe we should consider getting a bottle," Blue Steve said to himself. His hand was absently patting Sleipnir's rump, eyes trained to Loki's head like he was gauging whether Loki was in pain or not. "Maybe get Banner and Stark to actually come look at you as well."

He held true to that promise since that afternoon the man of iron and Banner joined Blue Steve in herding Sleipnir away from Loki. 

"There's a good little... horse?" Banner murmured, saying things of similar ilk as he started looking Sleipnir over, starting with his teeth.

Loki chanced coming closer to have a look himself, not exactly happy with a potential beast so close to his son. He only getting to see a glimpse of canines mixed with flat baby whites before the man of iron was in front and trying to get Loki to back off. "We're not gonna hurt him," the man of iron said, that same soft voice these Midgardians used around animals there. "We just wanna have a look." He pushed a little on Loki's front to drive his point home. "Anything?" He asked Banner.

"He's definitely carnivorous. I wouldn't say he was native to earth because of it. There's no way genetic splicing could produce these kinds of results yet."

The man of iron hummed nervously. "You think we're gonna have to call in the big guy?"

"If you can call him," Banner moved on to Sleipnir's legs, the foal happy to let each be picked up so long as Blue Steve continued to stroke his nose. "Does he even have a phone?"

"Maybe we can send a raven. Or smoke signals. There has to be some way of contacting him that doesn't have us yelling at the sky for hours." They were talking about Thor Loki realised.

He should have expected his brother's involvement sooner or later. Really, he was surprised Thor wasn't here now demanding his friends rally themselves to keep an eye out for Loki. Either things must be bad back home, or Thor's talk of family was really just that, talk.

"We should check the mom," Banner said, seemingly happy with his assessment. "Maybe get some samples from her. If she really is the birth mother we should see if she's the reason for the abnormalities or the father."

Now Loki didn't like the sound of that. Thankfully, he was a big horse which meant that when they did come with intent to take 'samples' all Loki had to do was rear up and stomp his feet a few times. The warning was clear, even if Loki feared the entire time he was going to be bashed by the green monster again, and pretty soon the mortals contented themselves with steering clear of him. 

Sleipnir was sad to see his friend go again, sulking his way over to Loki with none of his usual spryness. It lasted well into the next day, even when more meat came for them. It took Blue Steve coming back with Banner for him to be happy again, something Loki didn't look too close at. He was not going to be jealous of these mortals. 

They took Sleipnir to the side again, but since there was no man of iron to keep Loki away, today he gladly ambled over after a while to see what they were looking at. The teeth seemed to be the big thing with them, Banner looking at them again as he jotted some measurements down. 

"She probably won't take it well," Blue Steve muttered, eyeing up Loki. 

"Probably," Banner agreed. "But, if we can stop the little squidward from chewing her nipples off I'm sure she'll thank us in the long run. God these are strong."

"He doesn't seem to be hurting her," Blue Steve said. "I watched yesterday. He's gentle with her."

"For now. But, it won't be long before meat takes over from milk. Sooner or later he's going to break skin, and since she's not letting any of us near her I don't know how we're going to be able to stop the bleeding."

Which was kind of a valid point, and if Loki was honest with himself he would be glad to hand over the reigns of feeding to the mortals. Just the thought he could produce milk had him suffering through a crisis. It also wore him out and left him sore. 

Blue Steve agreed after a few minutes with Banner's assessment, voicing aloud whether they should try and look at Loki again today. They held off, simply because Sleipnir had grown tired of having his teeth looked at, snapped at Banner and came trotting over to Loki in forgiveness. 

Despite these check ups happening now once a day, Loki still found time to be bored. It got to a point where he actually left an illusion of his horse self and slipped out the cage door. A mouse found it all too easy to sneak through the halls of the compound. He didn't fear being found out now from his magic, knowing that if he was, Odin wouldn't be coming down to drag him back. He couldn't. Not without chancing peace with the Midgardians. 

Loki easily found himself some kind of washing facility, the metallic devices that hung around the rest of the building absent here. He shifted back to his normal self, locking himself in a cubicle as he focused his magic on Asgard.

He'd never chanced creating a double this far away, but there was always a first for everything. Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as he thought it would be, the cubicle around him vanishing in favour of the golden halls of his home. He was hidden, thankfully, in an alcove, the anonymity it granted giving him enough time to track down the individuals in the castle.

Loki could track people at the best of times by sensing their magic. It was how he usually avoided Thor or his parents when he was in trouble as a child. Thor, all he had to do was follow the charged air until it met its source. His father, well, usually Loki looked for the ravens first, and when they didn't help him he just had to wait for that sense of being watched. Heimdall was always a constant pressure as his eyes swept around every inch of Asgard and the realms beyond and his mother, well, he couldn't really describe her signature except that it felt like comfort.

When he was younger, he used to sleepwalk, using her signature as a beacon to drift towards. She'd often tell him in the morning, when he woke at her side, that she was sure he was part hound by the way he always seemed to find her. Even without his magic developed Loki had been able to do this one thing, and did so now, gravitating towards that sense of pure warmth.

She was with Odin, the two of them talking quietly over honey cakes. 

He debated only a moment before dissolving his form and drifted on sight alone over to them. 

"- cannot stay here," Odin said.

"Then you tell him. I'm not breaking another one of my sons' hearts."

Odin sighed, his tone softening to that which he only used around Frigga, "It was not my intention to drive Loki away."

"It was not your actions that kept him here either. I understand that you are frustrated with what has happened. All of it. But ignoring and pushing him away is not how we are to solve things. Nor is ignoring the fact that we have a grandson."

"Who is a horse," Odin said, although not unkindly this time.

"Who is a horse," Frigga repeated. "But a grandson all the same. One you've threatened to take from him. What would you have done if someone threatened to take Thor from us? Or Loki. What if someone had discovered his heritage and threatened to take him off us just as we had fallen in love with him."

"You have not seen him Frigga. He is terrified to even step outside."

"I see plenty," Frigga snapped, always insulted that she was not as astute as the king of Asgard. "More than you. Yes he is scared, but Sleipnir is his son."

Odin sighed, not quite a concession but close enough that Frigga relaxed. "We are talking in circles."

"As I recall we were talking about Thor." 

He almost left, his purpose here to speak to his mother seeming obsolete now he had a measure of what was still being talked about. He didn't, and instead retreated outside to try and find Thor. He would talk to his mother later.

Thor, as usual, was showing off. 

He'd commandeered the training pit, throwing his weight around and generally demolishing anyone who thought they could try their hand with the crown prince. The reason for why was obvious, she stood out like a sore thumb even in Asgardian wear. The mortal, Jane. Her continued presence here definitely answered why Thor hadn't been looking for him on Midgard. No doubt he was afraid to leave with her less she never be allowed back. How she was still here now was a mystery. Although... the closer Loki got the more he could feel something off with her. 

He put it to the side, walking, instead, easily on the training ground, sidestepping warriors until he was behind his brother. Already the warriors had stopped, some of them eyeing Loki warily. It grabbed Thor's attention in any case. 

"Brother!" Thick arms went right through Loki, the magic Thor wielded still not focused enough to even attempt to read an illusion. 

"Thor," Loki greeted anyway, glaring the rest of the warriors away as he started walking to a less echoey area. 

"Where are you?" Thor started before he even reached the shadows. "Tell me now so I can collect you."

"And waste all my effort escaping?" He wouldn't be brought back. Not yet. 

"Then why are you here?" A dark look overcame Thor's face, "Is it Sleipnir?"

"He is fine. Sleeping right now. And I am here because I wished to see mother."

Thor looked down at himself rather pointedly, "I think you must have a case of the baby brain for I am not mother Loki."

"The what?" 

Thor waved over to his mortal, "Jane mentioned the saying to me. Apparently mothers brains sometimes confuse themselves either before or after birth. Are you feeling well?"

"Fine." Except he didn't know how he felt about the mortal commenting on his mental state. "And mother is busy so I came to see you."

"Did you spy on them?" Loki could have been wrong but Thor almost looked eager at the prospect.

"Yes. They were discussing your mortal. Father wants her gone." Not news then from the huff Thor let out. "Speaking of, why is she still here? I would have thought she had important work on Midgard to attend." Thor had took great lengths to tell Loki about Jane's brains when he spoke of his time there. A woman so accomplished would have projects that needed attending to surely? 

"There is much that has happened. If you let me come for you I would better fill you in."

Loki shook his head. "So long as Odin is undecided about Sleipnir I'll stay where I am." He caught the frustration that caused, doing this one kindness to soothe it as he said, "I am safe. Do not worry. We have nourishment plenty and company that does not completely revile us."

"I would still wish to know," Thor pressed.

"But if you did then Odin would ask. You are not a good liar Thor, nor do I wish to make one of you. Just trust I can care for myself and I will come to you for news when I am able."

He didn't look happy, but Loki didn't stay around to let him complain. With a jolt, he was back in his body, shrinking to his mouse guise again as he took stock of what had ruined his concentration.

The knock came again, the flimsy wood Loki was hidden behind almost caving in from the force. An urgent voice followed, more concerned with their own needs than who was on the other side. He hadn't been discovered then. 

With careful scuttles, he dodged his way around the agents feet, ambling his way back to his pen until he was a horse once more.

Sleipnir didn't even notice he'd gone. His son was only now yawning himself awake, his nose twitching for food. Which was a problem because Loki was sure if he had been missed he probably wouldn't have started sneaking out again so soon. But he wasn't.

Nearly every day when Sleipnir took his nap Loki would sneak out. At first, he was wandering for the sake of wandering, maybe checking up on his mother who was overjoyed to see him again. The longer he tired of roaming however, the more his devious mind started working. He started venturing further in the compound, turning into birds that were constantly whacked at by Banner and the man of iron as Loki tried looking at their work. He started playing pranks on the agents that he found rather distasteful. The ones that would call Sleipnir names when they came in, or commented unkindly on him when Loki came across them. He didn't kill them. That would have been met with suspicion. He just made their lives harder for them. He unscrewed chairs, put flies in their water, maybe hid their things when they most needed it. Harmless pranks that would go amiss in the day to day running of S.H.I.E.L.D. After all, who would complain to their superiors about a stupid thing like misplacing their weapon?

"Would you at least allow me to visit you?" Frigga asked. 

He was in her rooms, their weekly visit underway. She'd cleared Odin out after the last time had sent Loki running. Even neglected to tell Thor. It was the only way they could talk since he refused to let her come to Midgard, and she did know where he was since he knew before coming to her that he wouldn't keep that secret. Not to his mother. 

"You know if they find out it's me they're going to arrest me. Maybe toss me out. I need the anonymity." Even if he longed to touch her again. 

"And you don't trust me to be sneaky? I can remain unseen when I wish to Loki." Which was true enough. 

But still, "Maybe in a few weeks then. You said things were too busy on Asgard to leave right now." What those busy things were he didn't know. No one, not even Thor, would tell him what trial they were facing. It was like they didn't trust him? He was rather impressed. 

"Nothing I can't return to after I have seen to your well being. I only wish for an hour Loki. Just to see for myself this illusion is not masking anything."

He sighed, debating it over and over again, trying to come up with some good argument to keep her home. In the end he said, "Fine," since everything he came up with was always struck down by the fact that he just wanted to see his mother. "But bring Thor with you, or at least have Heimdall guide you to a location near me. Midgard has changed much since you were last here mother."

"And how would you know that Loki?" She asked, the answer already making her lips smile. "Last I remember you and Thor were told to stay at home."

 He smiled, not even bothering to answer. 

 


	7. Chapter 7

The meet up happened a few days later. Loki had done everything in his power to make himself hostile to intruders, the handlers only sending Blue Steve in now with their food since Sleipnir had gotten upset with Loki had tried to ward him off too. It meant that when it came for him to slip out, he was assured that no one would be coming into his pen to try and 'examine' him.

Of course, things were never so simple on a day where things should have gone right. While Loki had managed to scare off the mortals, he had forgotten to plan for something else. Sleipnir. For some reason, either he sensed Loki was anxious or he was starting to get bratty, he decided that day not to have his noon nap. Instead, he was prancing around, showing off and decidedly not asleep at the time Loki should have been sneaking out of the compound.

It got to the point Loki was considering breaking both of them out just so he could keep his appointment. That, or, something he really didn't want to do but seemed like he had little choice, he could put a sleeping spell on the foal. It became more and more appealing the longer the minutes ticked by. In the end, figuring that it wouldn't really harm him, Loki went with it, putting his illusion up and sending Sleipnir off to sleep with barely a thought other than 'sorry'.

It would have been nice breathing fresh air when he got out of the compound, had the mortals not destroyed the very meaning of fresh air around three centuries ago. The stale fumes that came from motors and drains had him almost running back to his pen. Almost, had he not seen tell tale signs of the Bifrost. The direction his mother had landed was made clear by the number of people heading towards that direction. Swarms of black motors were around the site when Loki reached it, yet his mother was not.

A few minutes away was a buffet Thor had recommended last he was in New York, the one he'd celebrated at the night after Loki's capture. Apparently the schawarma wasn't to his tastes. Glamoured, she was still a queen as she stood to hug Loki welcome.

"You're looking a bit pale," She noted, "Does this compound not have sunlight?"

"Afraid not. But it does not matter." Not when he was safe.

They sat, Frigga already picking at a plate piled high with food. Loki didn't even bother filching off her. His mother was generous, but she was still Asgardian, if he was hungry a plate was only a few metres away.

"How is my grandson?"

"Tiring." He told her about the sleeping spell, his mother doing nothing but chuckle as Loki tried to hide his guilt.

"He will be fine. I used to do the same to you and Thor when you were children. I loved both of you, but sometimes I needed time to do my own things, and since your father was busy it was the only solution. You both never seemed to notice if it's any consolation."

It was, even if it did give him memories to think back over. "What of Thor? He barely tells me anything about himself when we speak."

"He is worried. We all are. We want you to come home."

"When Odin stops-"

"Your father," Frigga corrected, continuing before Loki could voice protest, "And he has agreed that his judgement was too quick to pass. Now that he has had time to think, he wants you back darling. You and Sleipnir."

"He wants Sleipnir ridden." It still left a foul taste in his mouth as he imagined it. Horse or not, Sleipnir shouldn't be ridden by anyone. He was too beautiful a creature.

"He will not let it happen if you don't wish it. I was very clear about Sleipnir being your responsibility."

It sounded too good to be true. Probably because it was. He was a prisoner no matter where he was these days, the matter at hand was merely which prison he preferred. The one with his family, where any moment his son could be snatched and paraded in front of him like an everyday mule. Or Midgard, where they were at least left in peace.

"I will think about it," Loki decided.

"That's all I ask."

They ate for a while, the plates slowly lowering until one lingering stare too many and Frigga was taking advantage of the peace between them. "You should know Loki. When your father chose Thor over you for kingship I disagreed with him. You are obviously the better candidate, and dedicated in a way that Thor wasn't at the time. Maybe isn't now," she tacked on.

"It's fine," Loki waved off, not really wanting to get into this. He didn't need to hear consolation on a matter he'd already considered long past. "Thor is your blood son. It is only right that an Aesir presides over Aesir people."

"Loki," She snapped, "Just because your skin is blue that does not make you any less my son and you know as such. Thor was not chosen over you because of his blood. I relented to your father because we wished to see what Thor would do as king."

"I don't understand." But he did, in a way. Odin was all about taking chances, of seeing how situations play out, if Loki was the same it was only because he had been brought up to admire those ideas.

Still, this sounded almost too good to be true.

"You think just because we don't join you on your adventures that we do not know Thor. We do Loki. Your father hoped that with the prospect of ruling it might calm your brother down. That a few days listening to grievances, of struggling with his role, that Thor would realise how inept he was for the job. We had hoped it would inspire him to better himself. It was never about choosing Thor over you. I think your father still considers you as a real possibility for the crown."

"Thank you for saying so," He remembered to say. He didn't really believe her. It did make sense, but for all Loki knew it could have just been something Odin said to placate Frigga. Loki didn't think him above manipulating his wife. Not anymore.

The hour came and went fairly quickly. Loki was as reluctant to leave as his mother, quickly proposing another one for the next week. He wouldn't keep her away anymore, not now he'd seen her in person. She had probably known this was going to happen too since she agreed very readily.

He bid her farewell before the Bifrost could even think about snatching him up as well.

The compound was just as easy to break in as it was to break out. Laughably easy. He was slithering into his horse form within minutes, nudging Sleipnir awake just in case Frigga had been wrong about the sleep spell being harmless. 

She wasn't, and his grumpy pony soon perked right back up again to spend the rest of the day playing a game of hide and seek. 

The next week came quicker than he anticipated, and just like the week before he encountered problems from the offset, only this time it wasn't Sleipnir. 

Whatever research Banner and the man of Iron had been conducting seemed to have come to a halt without Loki playing along. On the day he had somewhere else to be they decided to herd him away from Sleipnir, as usual, only this time they pushed him more towards the door than usual. The reason became apparent as some metallic device slid in, Loki's protests met with some kind of gorilla tactics that had him backing up before he knew what was going on. 

The sides clamped down on him, almost restricting his air. From over Banner's shoulder he could see Sleipnir starting to worry, he'd completely ignored Blue Steve, looking to be rearing himself up for a headbutt. Loki tried to tell him no, not because he didn't want Sleipnir to try, but because his son was aiming at Banner. Thor had mentioned some kind of heightened emotion setting the monster off. If Loki could help it, he was keeping the man was calm as possible and not letting him be rammed by a month old pony.

The clamps pinched him tighter, the handlers mistaking his tossing as aggression. He considered changing. Fleeing and coming back later for Sleipnir. But just then the skies smiled down upon him and granted a Thunder God into his presence. 

"Stark!" he barked, pushing his way past the mortals keeping Loki captive. "I must have words with you." 

Loki knew that, before now, no one had bothered to tell Thor that his mortal friends had his nephew. Almost immediately whatever he was here to say was pushed to the side as he cleared the last barriers to his nephew. 

"Sleipnir?"

He seemed to remember Thor, sniffing him hesitantly before calming his stance.

"Why is my nephew here? Where is Loki?"

"Your nephew?" The man of Iron echoed. 

Banner was quicker on the uptake, eyes flashing to Loki in horror. "Oh God."

He narrowed his eyes at the man, daring him to go green as he slipped into a snake and slithered towards the protection of his brother. He heard the man of iron shriek as he passes by, the cursing starting up soon afterwards as Loki climbs up to perch on Thor's shoulders. 

"Okay," the man of iron says, disbelief written on his face. "Okay, so we've been harbouring a murderer. That's fine. Completely fine. And he's been a horse." The man of iron went on, Loki tuning most of it out as Thor wrapped his big hands around Loki, lifting him for some semblance of a hug.

Banner was the one to bring him back into the fold, his skin still not green as he stumbled through, "You've been breast feeding. You can breast feed? How does that even work? Is he even a horse?"

Thor drew him back to his shoulder, giving Sleipnir one last pat before turning on his friends. "I thank you for caring for my family while I have been away. I have much to tell you, however, I believe it can wait for tomorrow."

He made sure Loki was wrapped up securely before grabbing Sleipnir like he weighed nothing and basically bullying his way out. 

On the street, since no one had swarmed around them yet, Loki changed back into his normal guise, herding the two of them over to the buffet where their mother would be waiting. 

"Dare I ask what you wanted with that Stark fellow?" he still didn't know which one it was.

"It is unimportant." Which meant that Loki wasn't allowed to know. "But there are more important things I must tell you."

"Tell me when we get to mother. I'm already late. No thanks to your friends. Honestly," he hissed, trying to navigate the streets as best he could. 

Thor grabbed him as they turned the corner, bringing him a different way. "About mother..." He didn't say anything more, taking them down a different street, strangely no one batting an eye at Thor and Sleipnir. They did give Loki a wide berth however. 

Loki didn't recognise his surroundings and after another few turns didn't bring any recollection he brought them to a halt. "I'm not going back. Not yet. I know your friends may be a bit more hostile now, but they will not give us up to the Allfather until I say so." Not if they wanted to examine Sleipnir. "And I intend to take advantage of that until I can no more."

Thor looked at him a moment before tugging him along again, the two of them ending up in a large mass of green. He wouldn't call it a field, there were too many paths and linked metal fences for it to be so. It was definitely more appealing than the city however, so Loki didn't complain too much as Sleipnir was set down. 

The pace slowed now they had come to somewhere Thor deemed acceptable. For a while, they just meandered around, Sleipnir occasionally veering off to sniff the grass or chase a dog that entered his path.

"Mother isn't on Midgard is she?" Loki guessed. He'd figured it out when Thor took too many wrong turns. 

"Mother..." Thor started again. "Loki... something happened. Something bad."

"Is she injured?" Maybe he was wrong when he thought nothing would bring him back to Asgard before he was ready. If his mother needed him, really needed him, he would be there. 

"There was an invasion, of a sort."

"I don't care about what happened, just tell me if she's okay!"

Thor sighed, and in that one motion Loki knew. He just knew. She wasn't okay. 

"When's the funeral?" Loki asked.

"Tonight. Father didn't want to waste any time. Not while... the people who did this are still at large."

He felt sick he- he walked away from Thor, from Sleipnir, his magic fizzling out of him in a destructive wave that felled the trees in every direction. It didn't last long. His magic was just as weary as himself. It was like the life had went out of him. 

He just- he need to-

When he was a child, sneaking to Midgard to watch his parents play with the mortals, Loki remembered finding the warriors that had lost loved ones. The shield maidens that buried their children, and men of legend whose families learned of their less than glorious deaths. He remembered the looks on their faces, the sheer blankness that overcame them. He didn't understand how they could stand there with nothing in their hearts. So concerned with themselves and not with those who they had lost. 

He does now. He feels nothing for his mother's passing itself. He heard the details as Thor tells them and recognises that she died a warrior, the utmost honour of a citizen of Asgard. She had died with a blade in her hand and surety in her heart that her death would cripple their enemies somehow. She was no longer here because she had received her invitation to dine in Valhalla, with people who had just as much courage and heart as her. She was no longer suffering among them.

Good.

"Will you come home to see her off?" Thor asked.

"I will." He would hunt down the ones who murdered his mother while he was there as well. He may feel nothing for her actual death but someone had swung a blade at his mother, and that Loki would not forgive. "But Sleipnir cannot come. He must stay here. I don't trust Odin."

Thor didn't even argue, seeming to see the practicality in Loki's words. "I will call upon Stark. He has room enough to house Sleipnir whilst we are away." 

They gathered the foal when time enough for Loki to gather his rage had passed. Thor led them back along the paths they'd walked before until they were back at the compound, this time with the agents all patiently waiting for them outside. It took a few hours before they were able to talk to Stark, Loki clinging onto Sleipnir, promising he'd be alright as Thor negotiated Sleipnir's stay.

The man of iron promised that he would do his best, once it had been made clear that Loki wouldn't be present for the upcoming days. It didn't do less to quell the worry eating him up inside as he strode up to the pair of them and started giving out demands. 

"He doesn't like it when you leave him alone for long periods of time. I would say only leave him unaccompanied if he's napping. Blue Steve should be in charge of most of Sleipnir's needs, tell him not to be afraid of pushing back, Sleipnir is starting to get a bit rough. Feeding should be a mix of milk and meat, do not think because he is eating solids that he does not require the milk anymore, even if he shies away. It simply means he's not hungry for it at that time. Make sure you keep the temperature lower than you have been, his body is starting to decide which heat he can bear and I do not want to come back to find out you have overheated him." There was more he had to say, but most of it was just pathetic. Pleas for the man of iron to take good care of Sleipnir. To not allow him to become an experiment. He did make sure to put a little threat into his last words before running his palms over Sleipnir again.

It was a hard separation. While almost constantly being in each other's presences Loki hadn't really let it sink in that one day they would have had to be apart. It looked like he still wouldn't get that chance to get used to it as he nudged Sleipnir over to Stark before his sense got the better of him.

"He will be fine," Thor promised as they journeyed back onto the street.

"I am not worried about him." Which was true. He didn't worry that they would take care of Sleipnir. Blue Steve and Stark had proven that they were capable of being kind. They had saved New York after all without care about their own well being. He worried about himself, about Thor, because he wasn't sure that they would be coming back.

If something was strong enough to kill his mother, he didn't think he stood a chance. But it was his duty to avenge her, and he would do it gladly. Just as he knew Thor would. He hoped Sleipnir would forgive him if he didn't come back.


	8. Chapter 8

No one spoke to him when he walked the streets of Asgard. They had seen him, here and there, when he came to spy on Thor or talk to his mother. It wasn't that he was unwelcome, there was no hate in their eyes. Just sadness. He could barely stomach it.

The palace was worse, probably because it seemed like there was nothing wrong. Save the clouds that had followed them since stepping from the Bifrost, the people went about more like they were planning a stately visit rather than a funeral for their Queen. The warriors were still training when they passed them on their way up, the servants still gossiping, even Sif and the Warrior's Three had a smile for Thor when they crossed paths. 

The reason for why was obvious. Loki, in his grief, had still managed to see the destruction that had befallen the golden halls. The people were grieving, the palace was preparing. It was like witnessing two sides of Loki's wishes at in the same instant. He tried to pick out one or another but they blurred in one confused mesh until he was left light headed and stuck in a constant stillness of his own.

He was in his chambers next he got his head back together. There were clothes laid out, looking like they had been there a while from the dust that was gathering. Some part of him wondered if it was his mother that had done so, since they weren't the formal clothes he was expecting to wear tonight. She had probably been hoping, waiting here, that he would be back with her today. He was. But not in the way he should have been.

"I'm going to miss her," He said. Not miss. He wasn't fully ready to admit she had gone yet. Her soul was still here, waiting to be sent off, and until it did there was no reason to miss her.

"As am I," Thor replied, Loki jumping as he registered he wasn't alone. "I wish you had chosen to meet her a different day."

"Me too." If he did, she might have avoided all of this. If Loki had been that little bit more desperate he might have asked her to come to Midgard more often and for longer. He might have managed to spare her the decision of giving her life for Asgard. "But if we constantly wonder what we might have done different we will lose focus for our purpose." For asking what they might have done different will definitely lead to blame, and blame to anger. Pretty soon they would fighting each other instead of the real monster that had struck their mother. "How long before we leave?"

"I don't know," Thor confessed, and in the hours that followed he told Loki why. 

The Aether had always been something he'd been aware of. Unlike Thor, he was a bit too invested in their history lessons and bedtime stories. Just like the Infinity Gauntlet, the tesseract and Mjolnir, Loki had been most interested when he heard something like the Aether might still be around in the nine realms. Often as a child he'd had the want to try and find it. Maybe vanquish it and have his name sang along with the rest of the hero's of Asgard as a result. He might have also had dreams of harnessing it, of becoming a mighty force that would be able to stand equal to his brother at last. Maybe even surpass him. 

That was in the past now. The Aether no longer mattered. It had been the cause of his mother's death, and as far as Loki was concerned he wanted nothing to do with it except destroy it. Whether that was possible remained to be seen. Besides, they had a rather large problem to overcome before they could even begin to consider how to contain the Aether. 

Odin.

"He will not let us use the Bifrost to take Jane to a safe location. He does not understand that I mean to remove her, not to oppose him but to save our people. We cannot hazard another attack. He will be back with greater forces this time Loki, and with our walls destroyed he may well kill more of our people than he already has." A noble thought for someone who once would rather have taken the chance and let the Elf come. Their mother's death must have opened Thor's eyes a bit. 

Good.

"You do not have to plead your case to me brother. I have seen our people, I know why you worry." Despite what the stories told about Asgard not all of their people were warriors. They had spirit, all of them had that, and would probably take up arms if needed, but most of them only wished to lead peaceful lives. If the Elves attacked again there was always a chance that innocents would fall, bakers, weavers, children even, people who were integral to what made up their mighty city. It would be cruel to expect them to pay the price of a mortal girls stupidity. "Odin knows too. He is a king, it will have crossed his mind."

"Then why does he fight me?"

"Because he is king." With the loss of Frigga Odin would be terrified to leave his city. His palace was the source of his power, for two attacks to cripple him would be unthinkable. He was probably hoping with foresight now he would be able to deal with the issue of Malekith with ease. "You will have to come up with another way to remove the mortal from Asgard."

Thor nodded, the thought probably already crossing his mind as they filled the rest of their talk away from escape and more towards happier times. 

The evening fell rather quickly, the quick knocks coming and the two of them joining the rest of the procession to the docks. Loki ignored the voice at the back of his head that told him to stay amongst the people. This was his mother, regardless of blood, so he joined Thor and Odin at the front, laying down the knife she had gifted him as a child by her side. It had been hers in the time before she had met Odin. As children, Odin had never thought Loki would be a warrior. The first time he had brought him onto the training grounds Loki had ended up crying because he'd been knocked down. Aesir children didn't cry, Thor being a testimony to that as every time he got knocked down he got back up, no tears in sight. 

He'd all but banned Loki after the next visit had garnered the same results, telling him he would never step foot onto the sand unless he learned to ignore the pain. Loki listened to him, not even asking anymore if he could go on, instead he spent his time just watching, wondering how Thor learned to block everything out. His mother had found him there one day, sitting him on her knee and listening as he told her what Odin had said.

"Well don't let them hit you then," She had said, and gifted him her knife the next day to show him just how swiftness was just as admirable in battle as strength.

She had never asked for it back, and Loki had never asked if she wanted it. Now however, he knew she would be needing it again. He had his own knives and daggers, it was time Frigga took hers back to join the battles she would surely fight in Valhalla.

The gifts were given. The gold she'd won laid by her side, and with a final prayer, the boat was off, sailing itself to the edge of their world. 

"Did she suffer?" Loki asked, watching the burning boat dissolve into the sky.

"If she did she hid it well."

"Let us hope our enemies do not have her strength." 

A few of Thor's fingers interlaced with his own, Loki helped him and took his hand. 

Loki didn't go to the feast held in his mother's honour. He didn't think he could stomach it. From the look of the next day it seemed that neither Thor nor Odin were there either, it was quite the scandal. Apparently the hall had remained silent until a servant had come in expressing the king's request for them to make merry. After that they didn't speak much again, but that was mostly because there was ale filling their mouths. 

With Frigga's funeral over the palace focused fully on rebuilding their defences. There was no time for grief, and even the people in the lower towns shared this belief as they too didn't stop to offer consolations as Loki went past. 

When he went searching, he found Thor and Odin arguing again in the throne room. He didn't stick around for long to see what about, knowing without his mother there to argue his side Loki's welcome in Asgard was slowly coming to an end. 

He grew anxious as the day went past, to leave, maybe go to Midgard until Thor managed to come up with some great plan of attack. He didn't, knowing he would probably never leave again if he saw Sleipnir, and instead dedicated his hours into finding a way to harness or destroy the Aether. The research carried him through the day. Well into the next as well. Despite there not being much explicitly stated about the Aether, Loki had spent his life reading between the lines. It was how he knew how to harness the tesseract after all.

Thor brought him out of his books when it got dark. He'd been out, that pitiful cloak he called a disguise on his back as he pulled up a chair and made himself comfortable. Loki didn't bother telling Thor off, there was an excitement to his frame, the air practically sizzling with whatever news he had to tell Loki. 

"What is it?" he sighed, setting his papers to the side.

"I have discovered how we are to get Jane out of Asgard."

The plan, for Thor to have come up with it, was actually quite good. There would be the distraction of Heimdall, the Warrior's Three and Sif also playing their part in keeping Odin away, and with Loki leading them through the hidden veils it probably would have worked. "It's also blatant treason," he pointed out.

"Everyone is willing to take the risk," Thor assured. "I have their word, and since Jane is growing weaker by the day I think we should act tomorrow."

"Or, we can do things my way."

Thor pouted, of course he did the baby, "My plan will work," He insisted.

"Probably." Actually more than probably. "But I will not have my name sullied with treason unless I have to. You have me by your side brother, use me."

He still seemed rather upset that his plan wasn't going to be utilated, but he did relent with, "What did you have in mind?" When his sulk was through.

They acted before someone, Thor, could even think about blabbing his mouth. At this time of night, Odin would usually be in his bedchamber. But that was while Frigga had been alive. Alone now, Thor had told him that Odin often stayed up through the night, busying himself so he wouldn't have to think about his loss. 

It was all too easy to find him. Just as Loki thought he was hesitating outside of the dungeon. He would probably be deciding whether it would be best to suffer through another fight with Thor the next day while he was so weakened or simply give in and have the mortal brought to some semblance of comfort.

Loki didn't try and hide his presence, and Odin knew it as he stiffened, his back still showing as he warned, "I would not be in my presence right now Loki."

"Why not?" He made a point to step forwards, a blatant rejection of Odin's orders, even if it was a small one. "I'm upset, can't I seek comfort in the one parent I have left?"

Odin sighed, his back still turned, Loki wondered if it was trust or stupidity that had Odin thinking Loki would not take advantage of this weakness. "If it were comfort you wished I may have considered giving it to you. But it is not. You are here to fight and that is something I have no strength for right now. Go to your chambers."

"How cruel you are," Loki hissed. "To make me stay somewhere you will not yourself. How long has it been since you slept father? Since you've been in your rooms? You see her ghost just as much as I yet you order me to her while you cower here."

"What do you want me to say?" Odin said, the fight truly gone from him. 

"What will make me leave you mean." He chuckled, the sound manic to his ears. "I want the truth. I want to know what you said to make her lie to me. You I can understand, but her?"

He turned, at last, the strong king Loki had grown up with truly no more than a memory now. Odin looked old. Frail even as he challenged, "You have always doubted me, haven't you. When I say I love you, you do not believe me. Why was your mother not put under the same scrutiny? Why do you only channel your hate to me? Your mother was just as capable as I am of everything you accuse me of."

"Yes." He knew that, he'd seen her manipulate people just as well as Odin in his life. "But she never whored me out and bought me a new cloak the next day like nothing was wrong."

"Do not twist what happened!" There was the fight, the temper Loki was looking for. "We both know what happened was an accident."

"Then why tell me otherwise? Why not come to me and tell me you were sorry? Not once, not once have I heard you say that! I never hated mother for the lies she told me because I never doubted that she loved me. But you, I was never anything more to you than convenient. I was a hostage, a scapegoat, I was easy to use because I yearned the approval of a man I thought was my father. When I think of mother, I remember the woman I have known my entire life. When I think of you, I look and I question because I see in my mind countless times where you have used me as no father should use his son. You did not ask Thor half of what you have asked me." He felt a bit winded when he was done, his words echoing along the hall. 

Odin met his gaze when he raised it, the two of them seeking something in the other that would prevent this from turning even darker. There were a lot of things that there needed to be said between them, but Loki didn't have the time, nor the effort, to waste it right now. Things were too raw. He almost turned back, content that his purpose here had been fulfilled when Odin asked, "What would you do? To the mortal?"

He scoffed, not believing Odin was trying this, "You want me to be your scapegoat again?"

"I want your opinion. You have not been here, you have not felt the damage we did. What would you do?"

Loki almost lunged for him. He hadn't been here because he'd been busy caring for his son. His decision to leave wouldn't have even crossed his mind had Odin not drove him to it. "I would kill her," he said. 

"You would upset your brother," Odin hedged.

"Hardly." He backed off, more for himself than Odin, not trusting where this might lead. "Thor's affection will die one way or another."

"You would be so cold?" 

Loki shrugged, "Whatever warmth I might have spared her is gone. It is because of her that my mother is dead. Her life is forfeit either way I see it, I may as well see her brought to justice before it ends."

A soldier ran up before Odin could comment further. "She's gone." 

In two words Loki was basically invisible. Free from suspicion and grief making him retreat, it wouldn't be Loki Odin would accuse. 

He tried to stop his hands from shaking the whole way to the back of the palace. Thor was there, his mortal at his side. Loki spared little thought as he shielded her with his magic. 

With it looking like it was just himself and Thor, the three of them strode purposefully towards the lower towns. 

"Are you okay?" Thor's mortal asked.

"Fine," Loki said, when he realised she was talking to him. "Why?"

She shrugged, "I know you're bad and everything but... that didn't sound too nice." 

She had heard. Of course she had heard, the whole castle had probably heard Loki and Odin fighting. There was a reason they usually did it in Odin's chambers the walls spelled quiet once Loki reached adolescence. 

"It is never nice when they fight," Thor said. 

"Shut up," Loki said, hoping the matter would remain dropped, "And hurry. It's only a matter of time before they come looking for you."

They veered off to the docks in silence, Loki grabbing a boat that would take them to Svartalfheim. It would be a long journey with them trying to remain unseen, but it was faster than the half cocked plan Thor had thought up. Safer too. He didn't even want to think what would have happened had they brought the abandoned ship the dark elves left. Especially because he knew Thor couldn't fly it. They had a lot of lessons growing up but Elvish spacecraft and flying one was not in their curriculum. 


	9. Chapter 9

Dying in the middle of nowhere really did put things into perspective. 

It made him review the choices he'd made in his life. The good ones, the bad ones, the ones that led to nothing. It made him think about the people he would miss. Thor... that was it really. Sleipnir, obviously too, but Loki was trying not to think about his little foal right now. If he did, he might just give in. Let himself waste away here. Who wanted a father like him anyway?

He grunted as he shifted over more rock, his wound catching on the rough edges and slitting the skin even more. With careful hands that had crafted the false look of his death, he regrew the armour that had torn, tightening it so no more blood would spill out. Or if it did he wouldn't have to worry about it leaving a trail for just about anyone to find. 

Light headedness was starting to set in. He had to make it a few more feet before it overcame him completely. Digging his fingers in, he crawled like the snake he was to the veil, almost crying with relief when the familiar magic washed over him. 

He laughed, letting it wash over him, soothe his wounds and replenish his body. That had been a close one. Too close. He really hoped Thor knew just how much Loki loved him now because he was certainly never doing that again. 

He stayed long enough for the wound to close before hurrying the rest of the way through the veil. The water, when it hit him, brought back memories he'd rather forget, of being locked and starved, drenched and scorched. He almost panicked before common sense kicked in and he shifted. 

Even in the water he knew his way back to the citadel. When he was younger Thor used to threaten to push him off the Bifrost if he didn't behave. In retaliation, Loki learned every inch of the waters in Asgard should the day come that Thor made well on his promise. It had been because of that Loki was able to find the hidden veil in the first place, and his sea faring adventures were certainly coming in handy now. 

He changed again before pulling himself out, letting his clothes drench themselves and wash some of the blood from his person. It took little to swipe a tankard, even less to cover the stench of battle with that of drink and sweat. By the time he stumbled his way up to the palace the guards didn't even bother to stop him. Loki had learned long ago that a drunken man coming home could be excused of missing a few days of palace life. Usually it was Thor that enacted this technique, and usually he wasn't even acting when he stumbled home from a week of revelry. But Loki wasn't above using it himself, and it wasn't like he didn't have just cause. His mother had died, he was allowed time to misbehave.

Word of his arrival spread faster than Loki could walk. By the time he was breaching his rooms Odin was already waiting for him, a bath drawn and food set out. He didn't look at Loki like he'd just committed treason, and since nothing else was said in the silence Loki took the gestures for what they were and wiped the gruel from himself. 

Dressed, fed and warm Loki finally took a seat on the other side of Odin. 

"Have you heard from Thor?" Loki asked, genuinely curious. He didn't know what had transpired since he'd sacrificed himself most valiantly. 

"I was hoping you might have." For why else would he be here if not asking after Thor?

"Unfortunately, I have only hear the gossip the taverns are spreading. We really should employ spies in there." 

Nothing was commented, no calling Loki out on his lie. Usually his father took great pleasure in doing so. Either he was still too blind to notice it, or he really wanted to believe the lie. Who wanted to think both of their son's had betrayed them after all?

They sat there a while, Loki not really knowing what to say. Things hadn't been good between them even before all this mess, and without Frigga there to bridge the gap it looked like there would always be a rift between them now. 

"I'm rather tired," Loki hinted, hoping Odin would give him at least one night of peace before whatever drama between them had him storming off. 

"Then sleep."

Like it was that easy. "I shouldn't keep you from your work. I'm sure you have matters to see to."

"They can handle themselves a while longer."

Loki managed only another few minutes before he brought himself to get up. He really was tired, he'd never got any sleep since they had left, and almost dying really did take a lot out of a man. Still Odin did not leave as Loki settled himself down.

"This doesn't change anything," Loki said, wondering if maybe that was why Odin was here.

"I know." Loki had struck true then. "But my son is hurting and I will not leave him to suffer alone again."

"It's a bit late, don't you think?" Where was this when Odin had lied to him? When Loki had found out the truth about himself? Try as he might now to make things right it did not excuse what had already happened. 

"Perhaps," Odin agreed. "But one of these days we will have a talk Loki, and hopefully some understanding if not peace will come of it. 

Odin was gone when he woke, some matter of state, the guard said, had drawn him away. Loki did not care much, it meant he wouldn't be scrutinised as he wandered towards the Bifrost.

Heimdall, naturally, had a sullen look for him as he ambled up. He was obviously still sore about being left out of Thor's little escape. From the sounds of things, however, Loki thought Heimdall should be thanking him. It was because of Loki that he hadn't been branded a traitor. That Sif, Volstagg, Fandral and Hogun hadn't either. He probably wouldn't get a thanks from them either. 

"Don't be so glum," Loki chided, "Thor was well last I saw him. Last you saw him too." Otherwise Loki would probably have been skewered on sight. 

Heimdall glared that inch more harder. 

"The convergence should be taking part any moment now. How fares things?"

Another glare, so Thor still wasn't dead or mortally wounded.

"Wonderful." He didn't bother asking anymore questions. 

The people in the city were glad to see him when he got back. They had missed him, it seemed, most of them asking how his baby was doing. Loki didn't bother even attempting to speak of the cover story Odin wanted him to tell. Sleipnir was alive and well, and while he was on Midgard, Loki was sure that he wasn't missing his father too much. 

He was swarmed within minutes of telling that, mothers and well wishers alike all wondering how the royal baby was doing. They gave him tips, asked about feedings, one of them even had the audacity to ask whether Loki was considering taking over for Thor on his fertility duties. It took a minute for Loki to work through that one, unsure whether she meant Thor's godly status and his magical blessings or whether his brother merely went around impregnating women. 

"No, I am not," he soothed when he got the grasp of it. "Mischief is my calling and not even my little Sleipnir could make me give up my duties."

They laughed instead of scorning him, he even heard a fond 'oh Loki' thrown in. He didn't think he'd ever been this popular, which was why Thor's friends found him as easily as they did. 

All the warning he got was a wide eyed child before Loki was being dragged by his hair through the throngs of people. He shifted, lashing out before sense got the better of him. Thankfully, his assailants had let go in his struggle, and with the crowd dispersing as they sensed trouble Loki had no problem discerning Sif as the instigator of his attack. 

"It may have escaped your notice, but I am a parent now. Have care when you touch me should you not want to orphan my little boy." He wasn't sure whether Thor had told his friends about Sleipnir's visage. Probably not from the hard look Volstagg shot Sif.

"We only wished to speak," Volstagg promised. "Thor did not call on us when we arranged."

"No," Loki agreed. "Because I told him it wasn't a wise idea to get his friends exiled for treason. I managed to sneak him out another way."

"And leave yourself innocent as a result I'm guessing," Sif sneered.

"Do I get no thanks? Are you forgetting your plan hindered on me to begin with? Yes, Thor is going to be blamed, but he was always going to be so. At least this way you can argue his case when he comes back instead of being exiled along with him."

"He is to be exiled?" Fandral asked.

Loki shrugged, he hadn't been around long enough to hear the gossip. "I am not sure. What I am sure of is that this suspicion you cast on me is severely misplaced. Honestly, even when I do the right thing you people aren't happy."

Hogun and Volstagg had the decency to look at least a little mollified. Sif, Loki knew was a lost cause, she was always going to think the worst of him and he was okay with that. Fandral, also may have just cause to doubt Loki's good will. But in all fairness if he wasn't such an easy target perhaps Loki wouldn't have spent so much time tormenting him. 

He dusted himself off when they had nothing more to say to him. "I have business to attend to," he excused, cursing himself all the way back that still, after all these years, he needed to find some reason to remove himself from their presence. He was a prince, he didn't have to excuse anything.

Since the Bifrost was to be closed until after the convergence completed, Loki knew he wouldn't be getting to Midgard any time soon. It wasn't like he could take any of his hidden passages as well. He'd learnt, from time to time, the veils could become unstable. It was either fault on one end, or something more drastic, like the convergence. As much as Loki would have liked to be harassing Thor's Midgardian friends and playing with Sleipnir, he couldn't. Which meant he had to find other ways to content himself.

The palace, after a while, was out. He couldn't stomach walking specific halls without memories of his mother pressing down on him. It would take a while before they soothed into happier times, so Loki had to content himself with wandering the streets once more. He avoided any place Thor's friends might frequent, any place Odin might easily find him too after that weird turn of events last night. 

Eventually Loki found himself in a seamstress. New clothes had been his agenda going in, at least until he remembered he left his coin in his room. Magic could have brought it to him, but as soon as he was over the threshold he found something better to do. They were mending one of Thor's ceremonial capes, something which took little persuasion, Loki still being his brother after all, to take charge of. That afternoon he found himself helping the women destroy this, and a few other of Thor's clothes, by having them embroider little horses along the edges. 

"Horses and snakes are his favourite animals you see," he'd said, when in actuality was imagining Odin's face when Thor strode in with Sleipnir's face on his person. 

"But eight legs?" One of them had asked.

Loki shrugged, "It was a novelty. I know Thor still yearns to find him again." Since the story of the little eight legged horse some people had seen was that of Thor finding it on one of his travels. He'd brought it home as a gift for Loki's son, and if Loki couldn't right the story he would damn well exploit it. "This will make him most pleased anyway, and I'll make sure the king pays for the extra work that has been done."

 He managed to stay at the seamstress' until evening where word of his location had brought a guard to come get him. He felt like a prisoner the whole walk back, knowing that the guard wouldn't have come for him unless someone had asked. 

He wasn't surprised to be led to the dining room, the one he used to sit with his parents in. Right now only one seat was filled, two with Loki. The other two seemed to stare, judging, back at him. They didn't speak the whole time they were there, it was like an unspoken truce. Talking would only lead to fighting, and Loki was too hungry to storm off to his room right now. 

Around half way through, right as Loki was eyeing up the fruit that dominated the seat his mother usually sat, a servant came rushing in, hissing lowly with the guard at the door. It was a chain from there that led to someone whispering in Odin's ear. Why they didn't say it out loud still mystified Loki, he was going to find out sooner or later, they knew that, he knew that, Odin certainly knew that, surely the pretence could be dropped now it was only the two of them. 

Yet, it was Odin who waved the attendant away, the servant scattering too now the motion had been made as he turned to inform, "Your brother has returned."

"Oh." Thor was going to kill him. "Good."

His brother came in with his usual lack of tact, a loud "Father," echoing into the halls beyond, "I have news about..."

If Loki could disappear without the knowledge it would only make things worse, he would. "It's good to see you brother."

"Loki," Thor said, his tone changing dramatically as the trick finally registered, "Loki!"

"Thor," Odin interrupted, attention back on him, "You wished to explain your actions before I passed judgement."

A hard look was given Loki's way before Thor started on his explanation for his actions. Naturally, a quarter of the way through Sif poked her head through to try and argue Thor's case. Thankfully, Thor left Loki's name out of his explanation, not so thankfully, now Thor had interrupted their dinner Loki wasn't allowed to leave when he'd finished eating. It got to a point he considered breaking the no shifting at the table rule and curling into a ball, hopefully into something without ears. 

He didn't, and instead suffered through Thor's story as he declared Asgard safe once more from Malekith. "Jane has returned to Midgard. She is well now the Aether is destroyed."

Here Loki perked up. The Allfather did too. "Destroyed?" He asked.

Thor nodded, "The people of Earth managed to make a device that caused the Aether to destroy itself... Unfortunately the device is also broken beyond repair. The man who made it is... not reliable either."

"How so?"

A pointed look at Loki and he had a feeling who Thor was talking about. He always did wonder what happened to the people he'd enslaved. The archer, obviously, was still hanging around, but the scientist and security he'd managed to keep a hold of he'd not heard or seen when he was hiding on Midgard.

The story was enough for Odin to nod, "Good," he said, waving Sif away with a motion to the guards. He kicked Thor's seat out. "Eat your fill my son. Regardless of what I plan to do with you, you will eat and rest beforehand."

"Thank you father."

It was more courtesy he'd given Thor last time. 

Again, Loki was forced to sit through an even more awkward dinner, made worse by the fact Thor kept shooting him dark, promising looks every now and then.

It seemed like an age before he was dismissed, and Loki took the offer and ran before anyone could change their minds. 

He didn't sleep. He didn't do anything but pack, and maybe check his scrying bowl for Sleipnir. Thor was bound to be mad. Murderous even. This wasn't the first time Loki had pulled such a stunt, why, barely a year before he'd dived off the Bifrost. He wasn't escaping this with just a few bruises. 

With Thor back the convergence must be finished however, which meant that Loki could probably escape before his brother caught him. But Thor was bound to follow him to Midgard. His friends would keep Loki there until he got there anyway, there was no way they were going to be giving Sleipnir over to him alone. They would release the Hulk on him. 

The thought filled him with dread. Enough that he was seriously considering hiding in one of the other realms until he could retrieve Sleipnir in secret. Maybe the dwarves would hide him. Well, if they had forgiven him for that silly riddle match that was. Vanaheim maybe, Freyja said he was always welcome. She had also slapped him last time he was there because Thor had made him deliver the bad news that their one night would not lead to more. 

It was times like these when Loki really recognised just how much he did for other people, Thor in particular. He was a pariah in almost all of the nine realms because of something or other that he'd been forced into. Loki had never wanted adventure. If he could, he would have gladly stayed at home doting on his mother and charming the lovely people of Asgard. 

"Loki."

Escape looked to be too late. "Thor."

His brother filled the doorway, making it clear that Loki wasn't getting out that way. Mjolnir was in his hands too, so flying was out. "You are looking decidedly less dead than I thought you would."

"Well," Loki laughed, "It turns out the wound wasn't as serious as it first appeared."

"It would seem so," Thor growled. He advanced, Loki backing up with every step he took until he was almost to the balcony. When he stopped, right at Loki's bed, his whole posture changed, softened as he placed Mjolnir on the sheets. "Why do you do this to me? Why do you force me to live through this grief again and again? It is not fair Loki."

He warred with himself for a moment, wondering if he should just keep quiet and listen to Thor talk about how much he loved him. But, "The wound was serious. But I knew if I told you so you would ignore the whole reason we were there in order to get me aid. I made a tactical decision, that's all, and when you left I crawled over to the veil and let its magic heal me. Simple, and from your presence here, effective."

Thor took a breath, his hands fisting and loosening until they hung limp again at his side. "Sometimes I wonder why your mind thinks the way it does. Loki you could have died. Nothing is more or less important than that."

"I would think the people of the nine realms disagree. Especially your friends on Midgard."

"You were not yourself," was Thor's immediate response, the tried saying sounding hollow as he gathered his real argument. "And to me, Loki, nothing is worth losing your life to me."

He didn't really know what to say to that. It was probably why something stupid like, "Well, I'm not dead," came out of his mouth. "So, what exactly did Odin say to you?" Since Thor had been asked to stay behind for his punishment. Loki was kind of hoping for exile. Imprisonment wouldn't reflect well on Thor, he was too much of a free spirit. 

"Not much," Thor confessed, "I don't think father is quite well." He wouldn't be, it was still too early. "He has stripped me of my status, I am to earn my keep for at least a year before father judges whether I am worthy of my former glory or not."

"So, no trips to Midgard then?" Loki asked, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"No," Thor agreed, "Which I suppose is fair." No doubt Thor would be sending his friends there regardless of his ban. He wouldn't be surprised to see Thor's mortal walking the streets the very next week.

"Where will you be staying?" 

"Here." The punishment was for Thor to experience life working not completely leave him helpless again. Odin really had gone soft. Thor was to keep his old rooms because casting him out would only lead him to one of his friends doors. However, everything he ate or bought would have to come from his own pocket. There would be no easy mending of his clothes anymore. No servants or princely duties. Thor was to become one of the people, and Loki could see the reasoning behind it. Thor still didn't understand the people he was meant to be ruling, Odin was probably hoping this would show him his importance in their lives. "The hardest part will be to get someone to hire me."

"I am sure someone will take pity on you." People would be clamouring for the chance to say they had employed a prince of Asgard.

"I know. It will be keeping the job really that I am dreading. I find myself wondering what skills I have now the prospect is upon me."

Thor hung around for a while longer, seeming to just stare sometimes between questions on what Loki had been doing in the scant hours Thor thought him dead. It was hard to tolerate, and Loki felt more tired than he did the night before as he fell on his bed as Thor left. 


	10. Chapter 10

Loki felt like he was in some sort of dream as he watched Thor leave the next morning in search of a job. Even more when he watched the people reject him as they thought it was a joke. It was surreal, his brother brought so low and just taking his punishment without argue. 

Around midday, his friends caught up with him, Loki taking to the shadows now there was more chance of being found. They cajoled Thor into a drink, Loki sure even more now that he was dreaming as his brother refused them in favour of taking them to a dark alley. 

He shifted into a bird, curiosity piqued as he landed on the roof of one of the houses. 

"- duty for you," Thor finished, fishing in his travelling cloak. "You must not tell anyone what I ask. No one must know. Not even my father."

The reason for why became clear as Thor took out some containment device. A red substance moved within it, Loki feeling its power thump through him. The Aether. Thor had lied. 

He was impressed. 

"Is that...?" 

"Yes. The king believes it destroyed and that is how it must stay. I can not travel outside of Asgard for the foreseeable future, but you, my friends, can. I believe if you take it to the mountains of Jotunheim there is a cave. A witch used to live there, her containment spells are the best in the nine realms. If anyone can keep this safe it will be her residual magic."

"She does not live?" Fandral made sure.

"Not since an age ago. My mother had dealings with her when I was a child. If she told my father the witch was dead, the witch is dead." 

They talked a bit longer, the warrior's navigating a clear path through what was left of Jotunheim. Loki left them, hiding himself further afield until Thor left to continue his job hunt. They came out not long after, and had Loki not have other things on his mind he would chide them for how obvious they were. As it was, he changed back, giving them a friendly smile that was not returned.

"If you are going to Jotunheim you will be needing thicker cloaks. Our last trip there had you shivering, did it not Fandral?"

The man sniffed, ready to retaliate, as usual, Sif only just beating him to the punch, "I thought the alley was colder than usual. You are lucky Thor still holds affection for you or I would be skewering you for what you did to him."

"He told you," Loki sighed. "Well, no matter. Not when there are more important things to negotiate."

They formed a circle, protecting Sif with the Aether in the middle. "You will not be getting your hands on it," Hogun said. 

"Correct. But if you take it to Jotunheim someone will. Thor is right to place his trust in our mother, but magic fades with time, her wards will be all but diminished now, despite how powerful they once were." Already his mother's magic had started to fade. Powerful as she was even she had to retain her strength in Valhalla somehow. 

"And we should believe this?" Hogun pressed.

"Considering I am the only sorcerer amongst us I would certainly consider it." He let them think on that, all of them knowing that Loki was the only person they had to consult on their quests when it came to matters of magic. Then, when they were still uncertain, he posed, "There is another that can guard the Aether just as well as Angabora once could. You have heard of the Collector?"

Of course they had. All warriors of Asgard had heard of him. He was a figment of nightmare, reached only in impossible circumstances. It would be a gamble merely getting to Knowhere.

"You would send us to our deaths," Sif said. 

"I send you somewhere the Aether will be safe."

Volstagg shook his head, "If this were true Thor would have us go there instead of Jotunheim. This is a trick."

"It isn't. In fact, tell Thor. My brother does not send you there because he is sentimental and does not think you can do it. Myself on the other hand, I have the upmost faith that your determination will bring you success. And if not, well, at least the Aether is lost in space rather in my hands."

He left them before more accusations of treachery could be spread, he had more important things to focus on, like watching Thor continue to try and land himself a job. He tried everywhere before one of the forges at the edge of the city took pity on him. Whether for a bet or just because he thought Thor was trying to prove a point, his brother was starting the next day as the new blacksmith's apprentice. 

"Maybe I should commission horse shoes from you," Loki said, catching up to Thor on his way back. "At least then you'll have some money when you finally lose your job."

"Very funny," Thor intoned, a smile creeping on his face regardless. "Although, you might want to think about getting some for Sleipnir. With eight legs there's always the chance one will turn."

Very true. "I'll get him measured."

Thor lessened his stride, Loki pulling him aside before they got too close to the palace to take him to an inn. While he was enjoying this idea of Thor being penniless, he couldn't have his brother starving on the first day. It went to show he'd skipped his morning meals as he took most of Loki's plate once he was finished with his own. "It's the least you owe me," Thor said when Loki complained. "How is my nephew anyway?" He moved onto when Loki made to point out he wouldn't have had a chance to fake his death if his mortal wasn't so helpless.

"Fine. Your friends are taking good care of him." Sleipnir didn't even seem to be missing him at all. Whenever Loki checked in he was either getting cuddled or harassing Stark to the point where he stormed out to get Blue Steve for Sleipnir. 

"Is father still adamant about removing him?" 

That Loki didn't know. He was actually afraid to raise the prospect of bringing Sleipnir back to Asgard. He'd been planning on going to Midgard, maybe find a good patch of land to let Sleipnir grow on. The idea of bringing him back seemed too Asgard was something that seemed too impossible to happen right now. 

When Loki didn't answer, the last thing he expected was Thor leaving his half eaten roast, and Loki, to storm out. The shock and having to actually pay delayed him as he feared Thor was about to ask on Loki's behalf about Sleipnir. 

When he did catch up with Thor, his brother wasn't at the palace, and instead he was journeying back from the blacksmith's. "I quit," Thor said, his voice carrying a good street over.

"You quit. You didn't even start. Thor you realise I'm not going to pay for your meals every night."

"Of course you are," Thor grinned. 

"Have you suffered a blow to the head?" Since this confusion was not of Loki's doing. He'd dreamed of turning Thor mad on occasion, however, since he would most probably be caught and blamed he'd always held off. 

"Nope," Thor popped, leading Loki back the way they had come with a spring in his step. "I have merely realised how best I can make my way in this realm."

"Oh?"

"Mhm," he elbowed Loki none too gently, "I'll be in the prince's employ."

He laughed, not really recalling when he'd given Thor this ridiculous idea. "Brother I have no need of you. You would be better off begging the blacksmith for your supposed job back."

Thor shook his head, still not deterred as he explained, "That is where you're wrong Loki. While I am rather good at swinging a hammer, I am also your brother and Sleipnir's uncle. Family must come first, and if you do not wish to let father place Sleipnir with the other horses then I will look after him."

He latched on, almost rolling his eyes at the sheer absurdity of this idea. "I am not paying you to babysit my son. As soon as he is in my sight I will care for him myself." He just had to figure out a way to leave Asgard without being banished forever. He had things to do here, things that would come to nothing if he was stuck in a stupid realm like Midgard. 

"Of which I have no doubt. However, you must leave him at some point if you do not want father to grab him, which is where I will come in. I can care for Sleipnir while you are busy with your duties."

"And where will you keep him?" He challenged, since the palace was out, Odin would remove him in an instant. 

"That is where your generous money comes in brother. I know a patch of land near the forest. It is not so near to attract predators and, should you let me, I will build Sleipnir a house of some kind to sleep in."

It sounded better and better the more Loki thought about it. A constant nanny, someone to stay and keep Sleipnir company when he was not there. He could definitely afford it, his expenses barely used thanks to how little he'd had want to spend this last year. He wouldn't have to worry about Thor either, or Odin since it wasn't like Loki was parading Sleipnir around to the people of Asgard. So long as he kept up his duties, and the added ones he'd seen Odin piling up that morning, there would be no need to abandon this project.

"Can you even build?" Since the only thing he'd seen his brother make was a fire. Thor was more of a smashing kind of man.

"I am sure I can figure it out. If not, Volstagg built the house he shares with his family. I can ask for his advice if not his help."

Loki hummed, "I will think about it," he promised.

"Do not think too hard," Thor warned, "I have to eat brother."

His thinking only lasted him through the night. By morning, he was at Thor's door, the breakfast he didn't eat set inside and agreeing to Thor's terms. 

Thor didn't gloat, it was one of the only things Loki could stand about him as they started drawing up plans for wood and supplies. Loki carved out a time near midday where he would come down and help with his magic to speed the structure Thor was planning to build along. As he sent his brother off, it was possibly the first time since his mother had left that he felt excited about something. 

Odin seemed to notice, his eye lingering a second longer than they usually did as he used their truce to load Loki with some of Thor's duties. Expected, but doable since he'd already glanced at them the day before. 

The downside was that he had to help some of the warrior's train. While Thor got cheers the moment he stepped foot before them, Loki got nothing but narrow eyed stares. They didn't underestimate him, they'd learned that lesson, but they did think him a coward for preferring magic and tricks to brute strength. 

He soon put them in their place. While his magic was strong, he was still handy with a knife, and as soon as he toppled three of Odin's potential champions, they no longer whispered their insults behind their hands. Good, he could handle taunts.

He finished up with them sooner than he thought he would, the soldiers needing time to regroup after the challenge Loki posed. It meant that he could get some of his other duties out of the way, seeing to the wereguild, gathering the inventory for the armoury and the list of expenses form the kitchen staff. By the time he actually went down to where Thor had started his little project Loki had almost a full afternoon to help things along.

It looked like he would need it.

While Volstagg had indeed built his own home it was at a time where he was less round around the middle. He also had the help from his brother in law. The mess that Loki stumbled upon was shameful. There was wood sticking to each other with no discernible shape. When asked, Thor said it was to go on the roof, Loki thought he was just saying that so he wouldn't have to admit he'd made a mistake. 

He separated them again with a wave of his hand, grabbing the nearest villager that looked credible and asked for their help as they started assembling Sleipnir's new home.

He didn't dare even contact the Midgardians until there was some semblance of a roof and stable structure. If there was one thing he wasn't going to do it was endanger Sleipnir, and from the way Thor kept destroying as much as building the wood into a safe abode endangering was a thought closer to home than it should be. 

Only, with Thor now meddling, keeping his distance became impossible. "Just check on him."

"No."

"I want to see him. He's probably grown. I did not even get a proper look at him last we saw him."

"I said no." If he saw Sleipnir, Loki would be bringing him to Asgard before he should. It was already killing him to stay away.

Yet two days later the choice was taken from him. Someone, Sif, had been to Midgard. If Thor's friends didn't know before Loki had given birth to a horse they sure did now. Sif was hiding a smile as she led Sleipnir over to the ramshackle house they had built. 

Loki barely cared. Sleipnir had grown. Not by much, but he'd grown. He was tossing his head warily, someone thinking it a wise decision to put a bridle on him. Loki did away with it with a flick, gently kneeling a short distance away as Sleipnir got used to his surroundings. 

Loki feared his son had forgotten him. He was certainly ignoring him. It got to the point where he was sniffing the grass over staying near Loki. 

"He is simply upset you left him," Thor mumbled when Loki came over. 

"Maybe."

"It is probably good that I got him now then instead of waiting."

"Shut up." 

He sulked the rest of the afternoon, not even helping or retreating back to the palace. He couldn't. Not now Sleipnir was here. It felt like a gift watching him without the scrying bowl as he tried snapping a bite of Volstagg. His teeth had sharpened in places, no longer simply flat. Loki wondered if Sleipnir had taken a bite of any of Thor's Midgardian friends. He hoped it was the spy.

"Loki," Thor called. "Some assistance would be nice before nightfall."

He hummed, not getting up. 

Damn Thor for doing this. Loki had stuff to do tomorrow. How was he supposed to even go to the palace tonight? Not to mention the house was barely built, he didn't feel safe leaving Sleipnir here.

The sun set slowly, by the time it was gone from the sky the house was looking no less habitable than it had that morning. Loki barely even thought as Thor set his tools aside as he started herding Sleipnir up to the palace with him. If they got caught they got caught, Loki was not leaving him on his own. 

Sleipnir turned his nose, difficult even now, and it took Thor eventually coming to Loki's rescue, lifting Sleipnir up, before they started on their way. "He's just upset brother," Thor reminded.

"Shut up." Sleipnir wasn't angry at Thor. He didn't even struggle as they walked the long journey back. 

They took the route to Thor's chambers, the servants banned completely from even looking that way. Thor's rooms were just the same as what Loki remembered, which was weird since he hadn't quite grasped that they would be. Sleipnir didn't seem to know what to do with the new room. He explored as he usually did, but the zest he usually had for his adventures was gone. It took until Loki washed the sweat of the day off him for him to realise why.

"Idiot," He hissed at Thor as he took Sleipnir out. Thor's rooms were covered in trophies. Hunting trophies. Animals, predators and prey alike were hanging and lying all over the place. Even Loki sometimes had a hard time sleeping in there, imagining his pelt amongst Thor's decorations. That was before he knew he was a Jotun. Almost immediately afterwards all Loki could think about was his blue skin hanging in the space Thor had specially reserved for the frost giant he managed to fell. 

Thor was still confused as he followed them to Loki's rooms and Loki wouldn't enlighten him. The best way for Thor to realise something was to let him come to it on his own. 

He dismissed the servants with a shout before they got there, their backs disappearing just as Loki turned the corner. There was food, which Thor dug into despite his befuddlement. Sleipnir seemed happier too, some kind of memory coming back as he jumped quite easily onto Loki's bed now. 

"Cannot believe you did this," Loki hissed, softer now that Sleipnir seemed to forgive him enough not to run as he joined him on the bed. "What was your plan Thor?"

"To make you happy," Thor said simply. "You can't think you were with Sleipnir on Midgard." He took the other side, his plate still in hand. "Besides, I said I was going to be babysitting, not building. How am I expected to get paid if I don't do my job?"

"Idiot," Loki said again, shifting into something softer and smaller, something Sleipnir had no problem at all resting his head on.


	11. Chapter 11

"Higher," Thor motioned, Loki sending his hand further up and the timbre too by default. "Okay, keep it there."

Loki had seen Thor adapt to a lot of things through the years. He'd seen Thor learn a new weapon, a new language, he'd seen Thor get used to plying furs on his person because it was too cold to go about in barely anything, and now Loki had seen Thor learn how to build a house.

"Well, at least we know when you finally settle down you can build your wife a hall," Loki commented. 

"I have a hall," Thor called down, shimmying his way up the beams to pull the floating wood over to the rest of their new roof. 

It was almost done. They had to get help for most of it, but the house Thor had promised to build Sleipnir was almost done. Loki had already decorated the parts that were finished. He'd lain down hay, wolfed out and scented the place, he'd even fed Sleipnir inside to get him used to the walls. The feeding had received a few funny looks. He'd made sure to do it when most of Thor's friends were gone, but still they got a few upturned eyes when Loki started feeding bits of meat to his son. Even more when, Loki had been sure he'd been alone at the time, he let Sleipnir latch onto him. 

Thor hadn't looked at him the whole way back to the palace.

"Not a very good one," Loki called back. "Last I remember that hole you made is still there." The one that he'd made when he was in his teen years. Maybe Loki had been responsible for the motive behind it, but since neither of them had bothered to tell their parents, swearing to secrecy, it had remained there and draughty ever since. 

"At least I have a hall," Thor taunted.

"So do I now." 

Thor stuck his tongue out at that, Loki letting a smile grace his lips. 

By evening, Thor finally climbed down, Volstagg clapping him on the back as they surveyed their hard work. It wasn't the biggest hall to ever be made. It wasn't the most beautiful either. But there was something nice about the dark wooden walls and sturdy roof that spoke of a homeliness that was absent these days at the palace. Loki lit the fire inside, meat he'd taken from the palace already being sniffed at by Sleipnir. The blankets he'd stolen, none of them furs, he lay them in the corner, using the remaining wood they had to form a sort of bed.

The food did not remain long with both Volstagg and Thor in the same vicinity and Loki was just happy he had more to eat at the palace as he settled down next to Sleipnir. When the drink ran dry, Volstagg left, a note in his possession that Thor slipped at the last minute. 

"I will need my first wage tomorrow brother." They had talked about this while building. It was agreed, while this whole exile thing was going on that Thor wouldn't go back to the palace to sleep. If he was to learn his way among the people then he shouldn't go back to golden halls at the end of the day. Instead, he would stay with Sleipnir, truly caring for him when Loki could not drag himself away from stately visits, one of which was supposed to happen in the coming weeks. 

"You will have it. Just make sure you buy milk and meat for both of you."

"I am not an idiot brother." That remained to be seen.

The fire dwindled. Sleipnir abandoned them in favour of the bed, Loki knowing Thor was going to have his hands full when Sleipnir started to get bigger. 

"How are your friends?" Loki asked. "Volstagg has been around a lot but I fear I have not seen Hogun or Fandral in some time."

Thor rolled his eyes, "For someone who sent them on their way I should hope you know how they are?"

He tried playing innocent, for about a moment, before he dropped it in favour of the truth. "Your plan was ridiculous. Well meaning, but ridiculous. At least where I posed there's a better chance of the Aether never getting into anyone's hands."

"I know." The easy admittance was almost startling. "If I am honest I never thought to even ponder Knowhere. It is a place of legend after all."

"What better place to hide something powerful than legend?" 

The fire banked, Loki bidding his farewells the next day with promises of a more substantial allowance than the measly coins he had on his person. 

The palace was in a flurry when he returned. No less than three guards accosted him on his way to his chambers, all of them baring news or decisions that needed his opinion on for their visitors. Odin was in a meeting, when Loki asked, as he usually was these days. While before Loki held fear of seeing Odin passing through the halls it seemed that wasn't the case recently. He was keeping himself busy to the point of extreme, Loki had even asked the king's servants who told him that Odin had barely breached his chambers when rest did come upon him. If it had been a few years ago perhaps Loki would have sought him out, asked what was troubling him and come up with a tonic to help. Now, Loki just hoped his dreams were full of ghosts.

He knew his own were.

Odin still didn't rest when their state visit drew nearer. Loki would almost be glad for, as more and more there seemed to be added responsibilities to his list. A lesser man would probably curse the workload, but Loki saw it for what it was. The more Odin weakened, the more the prospect of Loki taking over started to solidify in people's minds. They were testing him out, seeing what he would do. If Thor were here, he had no doubt that they would be deferring to him without even consulting Odin about the idea of regency, it would just happen. But since it was Loki and Loki was, well, Loki, they needed a sort of trial period. One that Odin seemed to approve of if the many times Loki asked if the king would not like to go over these instead was answered with he'd already given his blessing.

He was finally given his chance, and Loki was not going to waste it.

It did leave him little time to travel to the home Thor had built, but since Loki had started staying overnight instead of staying in his own rooms he didn't see the problem in  a few extra hours away apart from the heartache. 

"These need signing sire," the page said, not for the first time by the looks of things.

"I'm sure." It was the new trade arrangements. Something he would usually just sign and be done with it, but of late he'd started to notice a slip in the wording of the documents he was given.

Ordinarily, he would think it was a mistake, something someone had haphazardly jotted down without rereading over their words. But this was the fifth time something like this had happened.

"Leave this with me for a while," He ordered, glad he still had the authority to send people off without question. 

He mulled over the arrangements all day, glancing at them in between his other duties. He was still reading over them when he greeted Sleipnir that evening, his mind too busy to shift and play for a while. 

Luckily Sleipnir was at that age where he'd started wandering farther away from his carers. When his attentions weren't reciprocated, Sleipnir quickly trotted off to find something else to amuse himself with.

"Interesting reading material?" Thor asked, invading Loki's space for a moment to nudge him in the back. 

"Could ask you the same." For days now Loki had seen Thor read the same scrap of paper when he thought Loki wasn't looking. He knew what it was without having to snatch it. Without being able to see his mortal Thor had to come up with a different system. He'd been having Heimdall or one of his friends to play messenger, this scrap only one in a long line of letters between the two. "You know, you could probably sneak to Midgard without Odin knowing. Heimdall would probably glad to have the excuse to send you in person." Heimdall loved Thor like that.

"Probably. But the common folk are not granted access to the Bifrost, and since I am trying to earn father's approval back I will continue to abide by his rules." 

A stupid reason. But then again Thor logic wasn't always the best. If Loki had been in his shoes he probably would have been spending half his time in Midgard. No doubt Jane would be happy to put Thor up for a month or two, and since he had his little band of friends ready to watch out for him it wasn't like he would be wanting for much. It wouldn't be like Odin found out either, not once since this whole 'punishment' thing began had Loki heard of him checking in on Thor. 

A tap to Loki's leg brought him back to Thor's attention. "What about you? What's got your nose all scrunched up?"

He handed the trade arrangements over. Thor took his time reading them, his brow scrunching up the more he realised the courts error. He handed them back, a dark look overcoming him. 

"It's a mistake, it happens," Thor argued.

"That's what I thought," Loki agreed. "The first time it happened. This is the fifth."

Thor mulled on that for a while, speaking carefully when he did so, "Father is not himself right now. He must be given some lenience." Which in Thor talk meant don't go raging to Odin because Loki might misunderstand what was going on.

He held himself back from snapping at that. "He is. Alas it is not Odin who drew these up. Nor was it him who did the last four contracts that had to be rectified."

Thor cottoned on well enough when he wanted to. "You think there is a spy?" 

The first thing Loki had thought of actually. With the trade arrangement as it stood Vanaheim would be gaining the majority of the benefits. It was wholly unfair in regards to Asgard, especially since Vanaheim was still under Asgard's empire. A spy would have definitely been the logical thing to come to. However, "I think it's more than that." Since a spy wouldn't have messed up so plainly and so many times. "These documents don't even go to Odin anymore. I thought it just another part of the grieving process, that they were allowing him time to get himself back together. But, the more I think on it the more it doesn't add up. Odin has been working tirelessly since mother's death, while I admit I fear the time when he will make a mistake, so far, he hasn't." He was prompt, he was logical, he even outsmarted the people he was talking to like he used to. Despite the lack of sleep Odin seemed to be just his usual kingly self. 

"You think they are testing you then?" Thor finished.

"I think they are trying to undermine me." Loki wasn't stupid, it was in his nature to know exactly what people were saying about him behind his back. He'd listened in since he was a child to know just who the right people to target were and when was the right time to strike. When he'd come home, after his time on Midgard, he'd spent the time he could before he got too big, asking the guards he played cards with just what the general mood was about him. Now, back in his rightful place as Prince of the realm, he was even more interested in what they had to say. It seemed his parentage had been kept a secret, Sleipnir too. The most negative they were speculating about him right now was his state of mind. Apparently they were stuck between two mad kings and were trying to pick the least troublesome. "It isn't a bad plan if this is their scheme."

"You don't seem that worried," Thor noted.

Loki shrugged, "Why should I be? They're obviously idiotic enough to think I won't catch on. They always did underestimate me."

Thor shifted uncomfortably, some unbidden thought troubling him as he said, "I doubt they will anymore brother. What are you going to do?"

"For now? Nothing." It would be better this way. He could more easily ferret out the traitors if they thought he didn't suspect him. "Perhaps you should see Odin this week," Loki said, "With the visitors I don't know if he'll be wanting you there or not. You are still his son." Not to mention if the Vanir ambassadors saw Thor they would undoubtedly leave him alone their whole stay here. Loki could more easily slip away to see Sleipnir. He would also be able to pass off whatever daughters were coming with their visitors to his more charming brother too. 

"I will see him."

Which Thor did the next day. He promised he had someone watching Sleipnir when he passed Loki in the halls. Volstagg in fact, which didn't exactly quell the worry in Loki's chest. While Volstagg was a father himself, a horse was very different from a child, and Sleipnir had started misbehaving. It was only for the morning however, so Loki pushed it to the back of his mind as he went to hand in the trade arrangements to the council himself. 

He watched who was lingering on his signature the longest. Also who had managed to spot the corrections Loki had made. They didn't comment on it anyway, just smiled and asked if that was Thor they saw earlier. He knew their game, knew that the inquiry wasn't wholly as innocent as it appeared. They were wondering if Thor was back in the Allfather's favour, if he would be taking up his duties again. While Loki would be the best option if they were going along the root of him being easily manipulated, it didn't stop them from worrying what he would do if one day he suddenly snapped like he did on Midgard. At least with Thor they would get the war they wanted rather than the one sprung upon them in madness. They would also be able to easily lead him with his lack of experience. While Loki at least insisted on sitting in on councils they probably thought they could get Thor to just avoid them completely by flattering his ego. 

This whole undermining thing they had going on was just a way to make Loki seem incompetent. They were probably whispering their complaints to Odin when they left Loki's company. He would perhaps have to have words with Odin himself sooner or later. 

"What did he say?" Loki asked, catching Thor just trailing out of the palace.

"I'm coming. Just for the feast though." 

They walked the span of the kingdom together, "Did he say anything else?"

Thor side eyed him, "If you would just talk to him maybe you wouldn't have to ask me." He sighed anyway, "He mentioned how well you were doing. How interesting our arrangement was." That had Loki stopping, Thor quick to soothe him as he said, "It's fine, he's not sending Sleipnir away. I made him swear. Apparently Hugin saw Sleipnir wandering the fields more than once. Father mentioned that he believes this arrangement suitable for the time being."

"Until you get reinstated," Loki corrected, knowing he should have put wards up for those damn birds.

"And when I do we'll come up with something else. Sleipnir is not going to be taken away." He repeated it again like Loki didn't hear him the first time. "We will be fine. All of us." 

They kept on walking, the little homestead where Sleipnir was trying to topple Volstagg coming into view.

Loki didn't believe Thor in the slightest when he said they would be fine. His life didn't go along the lines of fine. The role of a mischief maker was always trodding along a thin line, ready to snap at any minute. If Odin did allow Loki to find an alternate arrangement when Thor was reinstated there would be a clause in there somewhere that would make him wish he hadn't agreed. A father though he claimed to be Loki knew his self preservation was stronger than his love for his children. Sleipnir would be covered up, one way or another, and if Loki hadn't been able to see the significance of his growing workload he could now. Distraction was always a good tactic to use, and Odin had dangled the biggest one Loki's way to get him to ignore the pressing matter of Sleipnir. After all, wasn't the crown what he always wanted? Why would he concern himself with potential dangers when he was so close to his dream?

Maybe the council wasn't testing him. Maybe Odin was. Not with ways to prove Loki wasn't worthy, but testing just how much he was losing focus. If Loki had just given that sheet back signed the council could be assured they had a willing puppet. Odin would know he was weakened. 

A rough shove almost sent him toppling, Loki glaring up at Thor holding Sleipnir at bay. "You're distracted today Loki."

"Just thinking," he said, brushing himself off. He opened his arms when he was done, Thor letting Sleipnir go so he could get his welcome hug. "Have you been good?"

"He's been biting from the looks of things," Thor chuckled, the pair of them catching Volstagg bandage up one of the many cuts that were on his person. Some of the blood had already dried, Sleipnir had been biting for a while. "We need to start teaching him what he can and can't eat."

"Or, Loki gambled, "We can train him to bite better things. Like enemies."

"You want him to be a weapon?"

Loki glared, the pair of them knowing that wasn't true, "I want him to be able to defend himself should someone try to take him. You're forgetting we're both going to be at this feast, what if someone came to get Sleipnir whilst we were away? If we train him just to bite what he eats he won't think to defend himself against something that will harm him."

Thor didn't look as worried as Loki was, proving it when he said, "Fine, but you're teaching him." Still believing somewhere inside of Odin there was a man who wouldn't try to take Sleipnir while Thor and himself were busy elsewhere.

**Author's Note:**

> Fair warning, this might not get finished, but for now I'm writing it so I hope you like the chapters I put out.


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